


you still have faith in me, baby (that's the reason I know)

by saturndust



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Friends With Benefits, I don't know if this is underage because it's legal in the UK, Sexual Tension, Sports Rivals, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:41:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23751007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saturndust/pseuds/saturndust
Summary: Lacrosse camp was an ongoing tradition for the Saltzman twins; every summer they would pack up their duffels and for two weeks it was stick skills and drills and Josie soaking in the sunlight and, of course, having her annual glare-off with Hope Mikaelson.Or the sports rivals to lovers / friends with benefits au that no one asked for.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson & Josie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson & Penelope Park, Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman, Josie Saltzman & Lizzie Saltzman, Milton "MG" Greasley/Lizzie Saltzman
Comments: 167
Kudos: 579





	1. She’s a teenage girl, not a wolf.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you're all staying safe, healthy and inside right now! My A-Levels have been cancelled but I had to keep my brain flowing and now we're here. I actually will be updating this consistently because I've written most of it already so yay! 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this, also come say 'Hi' to me on Instagram where I'm a lot more active and I have an unhealthy obsession with editing hosie! @jcsieforbes xoxo 
> 
> Stay healthy and sane!

The rubber of the mouthguard fit snugly around her teeth as Josie picked up her duffel bag from the floor of her room. She rolled her tongue across the compact army of rubber that protected her teeth, never quite getting used to having a piece of plastic in her mouth for an extended amount of time (excluding her retainer of course).

Lacrosse camp was an ongoing tradition for the Saltzman twins; every summer they would pack up their duffels and for two weeks it was stick skills and drills and Josie soaking in the sunlight and, of course, having her annual glare-off with Hope Mikaelson. 

The world of under eighteen girls’ lacrosse was small. Yes, nationals lacrosse happens every year and every girl’s lacrosse team in the country would compete, but, in reality, the amount of schools that have a girls lacrosse team provides slim pickings for team rivalries. 

However, every single year without fail, the same two teams from the Salvatore Boarding School and the Mikaelson Academy would come face to face in the finals. 

The first time Josie encountered Hope Mikaelson was when she played in the U14 girls’ team for the Salvatore School for the first time at Nationals. 13 years old, bright-eyed and rosy-cheeked, she had pulled on her yellow school-issued lacrosse jersey over her dark blue top skins and marched onto the bus after rolling up the sleeves, her whole team singing loudly (much to Mr Williams’ chagrin) the entire 15 minute drive to their first match as an official team. 

Lizzie was playing centre, Lizzie was always centre, and Josie played mid-attack the first time they met Hope Mikaelson. On that day the spunky auburn-haired captain had traded in her role as the straight-defence for mid-defence. 

Josie had frozen when she realised that meant Hope was probably going to be marking her, a chill running down her spine when the blue-eyed girl had patted Penelope Park (playing as the centre, against her twin) on the shoulder and confirmed her fear, 

“I’m on Number 2.”

Suddenly the number on her jersey burned a searingly hot mark into her back, right into her skin, etching the start of a rivalry between the two girls as Josie tightened the laces on her boots and Hope gripped her stick. 

At that time, Josie had a reputation for being the fastest girls lacrosse player under the age of 16, her quick feet had already given her a reputation amongst her competitors.

The infamous story of her, so fed up with the stalemate her team and the opposition has been stuck in for half an hour, had snatched the ball off of Joana Ridges and had managed to carry the ball from her position at straight defence to the other side, scoring a goal within the last few minutes of the game by ditching her attacker and running the ball herself. 

4 years later, the only thing that had changed was that Josie is now considered the fastest girls lacrosse player under 25. 

Hope, on the other hand, was known for her ruthlessness on the field and these terrifyingly detailed and strategic plans she gave her team that were far too precise for a 13-year-old girl. Perhaps that was what she did during prep hour instead of history homework. 

The tale of how Hope Mikaelson had knocked out 300 teeth in her 5 or 6 years of lacrosse was something that had derived both fear and admiration for the, now, captain of the Mikaelson Academy’s Firsts Lacrosse team. 

Hope knew Josie was a runner, even in that first match. The way the girl positioned her feet was what gave it away for the lacrosse captain. Penelope thought that was bullshit because how on earth does a stance determine whether someone’s a fast runner? 

“God bloody knows.” The raven-haired girl has thought before catching the sight of Hope continuing to assess Josie Saltzman’s lacrosse technique down to the way she tied her ponytail. “And Hope, Hope also knows apparently.” 

The calculated staring, the tightening of grips, the shift of their mouthguards and the stone-faced expressions when they were asked to shake hands before the match began only increased the heat heating the pot of water boiling on the stove. 

The water simply grew more aggressive, snarling and bubbling ferociously as the tension sat firmly between them.

“Why are you holding eye contact for so long?” Lizzie asked, her eyebrows furrowing together and breaking her sister’s glare-off as she tightened the strings of her stick. 

“It’s to be intimidating,” Josie stated simply, tilting her head upwards in a faux sense of pride and confidence. “Like establishing dominance.”

“She’s a teenage girl, not a wolf.” 

And the water continued to bubble. 

However, like any pot of water that’s left bubbling for too long under careless eyes, the water overflowed the pot, hissing as it hit the hot stove and growling aggressively. 

This point occurred when Lizzie had checked Penelope, throwing the ball almost halfway across the field to Josie. The act of the Saltzman ‘Wonder Twins’ left other players speechless as Josie effortlessly swung her stick, cradling the ball smoothly before breaking into a dead sprint for the goal, well… all other players except Hope Mikaelson.

The auburn-haired girl had expected exactly this and had stayed tightly glued to the brunette the entire game. 

“Act like glue and STICK TO YOUR PLAYER” had been the Mikaelson girl’s mantra all year and she was doing exactly that. 

Hope ran side by side with Josie, yelling her defensive “Got ball!” as she sprinted to keep up with the long strides of the attacker. 

Yet, in a futile attempt to get the ball away from her, when Josie made a pass to another player, she narrowly missed Hope Mikaelson’s head. 

To which Hope responded with a desperate check of the lacrosse sticks. 

“EMPTY STICK CHECK.” Lizzie cried from the other side of the field - how she had managed to spot that being one of the great mysteries of the century - causing Hope to grumble something along the lines of Josie almost taking her head off in response.

“If you have something to say about me, say it to my face.” The rosy-cheeked normally smiley 13-year-old Josie Saltzman had a moment of bravery as she eyed the shorter girl. She firmly gripped her stick and glared at her, the newly wrapped grip of her stick starting to wear away under her tightly clenched fists. 

Hope rolled her eyes dramatically as she stepped closer, clearly unafraid. 

“Keep control of your stick, Saltzman. Wouldn’t want to ‘accidentally’ hurt me, would you?” Hope bit back, mouth guard shifting as she grit her teeth before turning away. 

13-year-old Josie was easily flustered at merely being close to the girl, to say the least, even more so when it was, to quote her words to Lizzie, “the prettiest girl in the Mikaelson academy” that she was centimetres away from. 

To which Lizzie offered, “Josette, isn’t she the Vader to your Skywalker?” 

This being closely followed by a defensive, “Well, yes, but I’m not blind.” 

“Mikaelson,” her coach barked, “you know the rules we enforce at the academy.” She stated firmly, nodding her head expectantly towards Josie. 

“I’m sorry, Saltzman,” Hope grumbled, folding her arms tightly and glaring down the girl which showed that, no, she wasn’t in the least sorry. 

Josie straightened up indignantly. “Don’t use that tone, I know you don’t mean it.” 

“Sorry, I didn’t realise you were 3, not 13.” Hope bit back. 

The borderline fistfight that broke out later was very much a result of that conversation.

Every year both nationals and lacrosse camp came and went, and in that time, two things grew: the rivalry and the tension, especially as the girls got older. 

At 15 years old both girls had made it into their respective schools’ 1st team for lacrosse (alongside Lizzie and Penelope of course) and had both turned 16 by the time that their annual post-nationals brawl came around. 

Being on the first team at 15 wasn't an uncommon feat per se but it was still a huge deal for both girls, moreover being on the 1st team came with an abundance of perks ranging from the post-nationals party that all 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4ths team members, however only those in the 6th form could attend … unless you were in the firsts, of course. 

Prior to nationals, however, teams would have casual matches here and there, viewing them as preparation in some cases and light-hearted fun in others.

For Hope and Josie, it was akin to gearing up for war.

Whilst a home match for the Mikaelson academy, it was an away match for the Salvatore school. With collections of both their male and female lacrosse teams playing in their respective matches against the Mikaelson academy throughout the day, Hope and Josie were ready for their first matches against the other school’s firsts team.

“Hey, Jos, it’s your favourite wrestling partner.” A girl in the year above, Jade, commented off-handedly, gesturing towards the auburn-haired girl as she warmed up with her team.

Josie blushed at the comment from the older girl, looking away from Hope Mikaelson before she caught her staring. Josie rolled her eyes playfully, wrinkling her nose in a way that made the blonde girl laugh as she rolled a ball to Josie.

“Be my partner in the warm-up?” She asked, eyes flitting down to the pink lacrosse ball that sat between them. 

“Of course.” Josie grinned, swinging her stick down and rolling it into the head of her lacrosse stick. She avoided the feeling of ocean blue eyes burning into the back of her head.

//

“I didn’t know Saltzman made the first team.” Maya mused, leaning her forearms on her stick. 

“Obviously she is,” the auburn-haired girl grumbled, the braids on her head suddenly feeling too tight, “she’s the fastest lacrosse player I’ve ever seen.”

“And one of the hottest.” Penelope Park slipped in, clearly sizing the brunette and her long legs up and down from the other side of the field. “School issued lax shorts don’t do anyone any favours… but Josie Saltzman makes them look attractive somehow.” She smirked, the curl of her lips growing as she caught a glimpse of the way her friend’s jaw clenched. 

Hope knew Penelope was right, fucking Josette Saltzman and her stupidly smooth tan skin and long legs and warm brown eyes and pouty lips.

Jesus Christ, Hope. Get it together.

But how could she when the way that Josie slipped the mouthguard out from between her lips, tongue swiping at her bottom lip moments after, was so attractive to her…

Hormones. 

Definitely just teenage hormones.

Yup.

The only possible expl -

“Hope!” Maya’s voice cut off her thoughts as she snapped back into reality. “Glad to know you’re with us again.” She smiled, folding her arms as her eyes darted in Josette Saltzman’s direction. “Miss Hunter asked us to run sprints before the game, coming?” 

Hope nodded, shoving her mouth guard back into place, falling into rhythm with her team and laughing as Penelope complained about running. 

As her studs thumped against the grass of the lacrosse field, Hope tried to stop her brain from zeroing-in on the burning feeling she got in her stomach from when Josie Saltzman’s blinding smile reached her ears when that girl, Jade - she thinks, had spoken to her. And she refused to think over how that same burn had returned when Penelope’s eyes wandered up and down the mid-defence’s legs.

Probably nerves. Plus, the lacrosse field is not where you flirt.

Yeah, it’s about professionalism. Hope thought as she tried to focus on pacing herself instead of the way Josette’s nose crinkled in such an endearing way. Plus, why would you mess up your game by flirting?

Hope shook her head to refocus, ignoring the inquisitive look she got from Maya. 

“My foot just needs a stretch.” Hope explained, not quite meeting her friend’s eyes. Maya nodded in an understanding way, although she didn’t look very convinced. 

“Don’t go injuring yourself, Hopey.” Penelope teased, lightly tapping Hope’s thigh with the end of her stick. “Wouldn’t want our best player off sport just before nationals.”

“In your dreams, Park.” Hope retorted, sticking out her tongue. “As if I’d let you replace me in mid defence.” 

“You know,” Maya piped up, her tone indicating exactly where she was taking the conversation to, “it’s funny how since that first game with the Salvatore school that you never played straight defence anymore.” She mused, eyes darting in the direction of a certain brunette. 

Hope ignored the burn of her cheeks as she folded her arms defensively. 

“What’s your angle, Mechado?” She asked, thankful she didn’t stutter. 

“I don’t know, Hope.” Maya shrugged, smirking over at Penelope, who Hope didn’t even need to look at to know had a matching smirk. “Why don’t you tell me.”

Hope grumbled something that included the word ‘asshole’ under her breath before jogging over to her bag to avoid the conversation and put her mouth guard in. 

“How many more games do you think it will take for her to finally confront her feelings for Saltzman?” Maya asked, noticing how the blue-eyed girl’s cheeks were still bright red.

Penelope snorted. 

“Bold of you to assume she’ll ever confront them.” 

//

The game started like any other: fast-paced and aggressive. 

Both teams knew that whoever won this game was a shoo-in for being the favourite to win at nationals. The pure fact that they treated this game like a trial run for an Olympic match said enough regarding both teams’ determination to win this game.

Jade jogged up to Josie about three-quarters of the way through the match. Hope had just stolen the ball off of said girl and slammed it into the goal, Wendy (their goalie) barely had enough time to realise that Josie no longer had possession before the auburn-haired girl had sprinted towards the goal. 

“Jos, hey, you okay?” She asked quietly, placing a hand on the other girl’s bicep. Josie nodded in reassurance, offering a smile that looked more like a grimace. 

“Mikaelson’s just pissing me off more than normal.” She grunted after Jade had raised a questioning eyebrow. The blonde nodded in agreement, rolling her shoulders backwards in a way that definitely should not have looked sexy to one Josie Saltzman. 

“Don’t worry, they only just caught up to us anyway and there’s still a good portion of the game left.” The girl smirked, squeezing Josie’s arm. “Besides, can’t let our best player start doubting herself now.” She winked and Josie blushed, biting her lip gently. “Don’t tell Wendy I said that.” 

“Thanks, Jade.” She giggled. 

“No worries, you got this. Show Mikaelson what we Stallions are made of.” 

Josie already had a plan formulating, whispering something to Jade (the blonde grinning in response) before she looked over at her twin, lips turning upwards into a confident smile. 

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” She asked, already knowing what her twin would answer with. 

“Relax, Josette, I invented this play,” Lizzie replied slyly, a smirk painted across her lips as she strutted off to her position as mid-defence at the centre of the pitch. 

“Eyes on their centre.” The captain of the Mikaelson Academy’s first team, Rose, murmured to her teammates. “Mikaelson.” Hope’s head snapped towards her.

“You know what to do.”

“I’m on Saltzman?” She asked, ignoring how hopeful she sounded and how it was meant to be a statement more so than a question. A curt nod from her captain was all she needed before jogging off to the brunette. 

“She’s so screwed.” Penelope sighed, Maya guffawing in return. 

The toss-up between the two centres had resulted in the ball falling directly into a mid-attack player’s stick. The girl broke into a dead sprint before encountering one Elizabeth Saltzman.

The blonde, playing mid-defence that day, had decided to ditch her player after deciding that Kaitlyn Leong was not doing too well on her own at trying to stop the girl from scoring. She had managed a smooth check of the stick, the ball dropping out before she cleanly swept it away in one smooth motion. 

She ignored the yells of distress from the opposition and shot Kaitlyn a smirk as the two ran parallel down the field towards the goal. 

Lizzie had reached the halfway line of the pitch, her feet thumping into the mud as she sprinted down the grass, pretending to not hear the sounds of the girl she was initially marking swearing behind her, something along the lines of ripping out her extensions. 

Whatever. 

A glimpse of a yellow ribbon in a brunette ponytail and Lizzie had called out. 

“Jo!” She hollered, swinging her stick towards the girl.

The ball landed perfectly in Josie’s stick before, not even a millisecond later, Josie had broken into a dead sprint towards the goal.

Hope, unlike others, knew that Lizzie wasn’t going to make the expected pass to the Trojan Horse of Kaitlyn Leong (who currently had 3 defenders circling her) and had followed her mantra of sticking to her player. 

“GOT BALL!” She yelled, hurtling towards Josie, ready to steal the ball off of her. 

However, what Hope Mikaelson didn’t expect was that Josie was a good multitasker; a plan had been carefully constructed when she noticed Hope keeping up with her normally unmatchable speed, so at the same time Josie’s quick feet decided to put her compulsory dance lessons to use.

A faked step to the left followed by a fast spin around the defensive player before slamming it into the goal was what Josie wanted to do.

Instead, when she faked left, Hope had decided to do her spin around the player (to catch her off guard) and ended up tripping over Josie’s ankle before she managed to even spin around her, ergo when Josie, filled with adrenaline, has continued with her spin she bumped into Hope mid-fall and went tumbling down with her, the ball flying out of her stick and somewhere into the distance. 

Somehow, amongst all of this chaos, Josie ended up with her upper body fully on top of the auburn-haired girl, her chest pressed up against the other girl’s chest and her left arm supporting her in a push-up position whilst her right hand gripped her stick… with Hope Mikaelson’s hands gripped around her hips to stabilise her. 

Josie’s eyes widened at the proximity she had found herself in with her budding arch-rival, her cheeks were flushed as her mouth was left hanging open. 

The commotion of players scrambling to get hold of the ball as well as the distant whistle of the referee had dimmed itself to background buzzing as the girls held this oddly intense eye contact - especially for 16-year-olds. 

Hope, coming back to reality after seeing a smirking Penelope in her peripheral, quickly tried to wriggle out from under the taller girl, this being useless as she was still trapped. Instead, she firmly pushed her off of her, bringing the aforementioned girl to her senses. 

“S-sorry,” Josie mumbled. 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Hope huffed, standing up and brushing off the grass. “It’s just as much my fault as yours.” She sighed, running a hand across her forehead to rid it of sweat. 

Josie tried not to think about how attractive that very action was as Hope’s blue eyes met hers, although they looked darker than normal.

“What?” The older girl barked, startling the taller girl as she fumbled for an answer. 

“N-nothing I - I just -”

“Ow!” The auburn-haired girl gasped, staring at her calf, Josie furrowed her eyebrows before following the direction of her eyes.

A long gash ran down Josie’s leg, blood dripping from it and a bruise forming at the apex of it, clearly a result of Hope’s stud-clad feet colliding with it. 

“Oh.” Josie murmured, unsure as to why she hadn’t felt it or why she still couldn’t feel it. Or why all she could think about was Hope’s breath on her lips and her chest pressed to hers. The pattern of Hope’s breath and the weight of her hands on her hips, just skimming the strip of skin that separates her jersey from her shorts. 

“Are you okay?” The auburn-haired girl’s concerned voice broke her train of thought, her leg choosing that moment to throb rather painfully. 

“Ah!” Josie cried, reaching for her leg as it pulsed with pain. 

A pale hand on her wrist prevented her from doing so as she looked up into concerned blue eyes. “Don’t touch it.” She stated, not meanly but gently, her voice low and soft, a tone Josie had never heard her use, at least not towards her.

“Hold on, I’ll help you over to the bench and then we can take you to the nurse’s office.” Hope explained, throwing an arm around the brunette’s waist and helping her hobble over to Mr Williams.

“B-but the game, you’ll miss it,” Josie said, her lips automatically forming a pout. 

Hope tried not to think about how adorable the taller girl was, especially given the situation. 

Hope chuckled softly as they approached Mr Williams, who had already begun to take out a first aid kit, and smiled up at the other girl, “Classic Josie Saltzman, despite having a bleeding leg is still concerned about others.” She muttered under her breath.

“Don’t worry about me.” She said dismissively. “It’s my fault we fell anyway. Plus, I can’t have my only competition not make it to nationals.” She then directed Josie to sit down on the bench as Mr Williams and Ms Tig looked over her leg. 

“Oh, you’d love that wouldn’t you, Mikaelson.” Josie teased, a smile on her face. Despite her current state, Josie couldn’t help the burst of warmth in her chest at Hope’s fond smile that she gave in response. 

“Oh my god, Jo!” Lizzie Saltzman’s concerned voice broke in as she rushed over, Hope shuffling backwards to let the sisters reunite. “Are you okay? I saw you fall but I didn’t even notice your leg, holy shit.” Josie shrugged.

“It’ll leave a cool scar though.” The brunette smirked, her twin rolling her eyes in response before noticing Hope standing rather awkwardly.

“What the hell is she doing here?” Lizzie asked quietly, raising her eyebrows expectantly at her twin sister. Although there was no real meanness behind the words (well… there was but not really), Lizzie knew she couldn’t exactly ask Josie why her not-so-secret crush was standing there. 

Josie leaned forward to whisper in Lizzie’s ear, Lizzie nodding in understanding and sharing a secret smirk with her twin. 

“Liz, you better get back to the game,” Josie said, pushing her sister away gently. Lizzie looked apprehensive. “Go on, win the game for me.” She smiled. “Dorian patched me up anyway, I’ll be fine.” 

“Okay…” Lizzie mumbled, kissing her sister’s forehead before picking up her stick that she dropped earlier. “Love you!” She threw over her shoulder before running off. 

“Love you too!” Josie called after her. 

“How’s the patient?” Hope asked Mr Williams, feeling the blush on her cheeks from earlier on start to settle down. 

“She’ll survive.” He smiled. “But when I tell her father about this, I might not.” He joked, tapping Josie’s forearm as she smiled apologetically. 

“Hope, would you mind taking Josie to the nurse’s office?” Ms Tig asked her kindly. Hope nodded in response to her teacher, helping Josie stand up. The auburn-haired girl carefully wrapped an arm around the taller girl as she hobbled alongside her.

“You - you, uh, you don’t have to help me, Hope.” Josie murmured, feeling a pang of guilt. 

“Josie, as I said before, don’t worry. There will be plenty more games and even more opportunities for my school to kick your school’s ass.” She grinned playfully, the brunette rolling her eyes in response. 

As they stepped off the grass and onto the tarmac that led towards the main school building Josie paused. 

“You called me Josie.” She stated, the Mikaelson girl now a few steps in front of her after climbing up some steps. 

Hope turned around with a quirked eyebrow.

“Yeah well, it’s your name, isn’t it?” She then feigned a horrified expression as she placed a hand over her heart. “Don’t tell me you’re actually Lizzie!” 

Josie giggled, the bright sound making the other girl’s heart swell, she blamed that on having walked up the stairs whilst trying to support the brunette in front of her. 

“No, dummy.” Josie laughed. “It’s just… you’ve only ever called me ‘Saltzman’ before.” She explained, playing with the surgical tape bound around her fingers. 

Hope hummed in a tone that implied realisation. She tilted her head in consideration before smirking at the younger girl. “Well, in my defence, you just called me ‘Hope’ for the first time, not ‘Mikaelson’ or ‘Satan Spawn.” 

“Oh, that second one is more Lizzie’s style.” The brunette paused as if in thought before grinning. “In fact, that name is more reserved for Penelope if anything.”

“Ah, right, of course. My mistake.” She nodded. “Anyways, we need to get a move on. As effective as Mr Williams’ first aid skills are, I think you’ll need to have your leg looked at properly.” 

Josie giggled again, causing butterflies to break out and thump against Hope’s stomach before she held out a hand to the other girl. As the two finally arrived at the nurses’ office Hope realised the nurse was currently out. 

“She must be at the younger years’ match or something.” Hope mused, thinking aloud. “I’ll go get you an ice pack, your leg must be sore.” The older girl then headed towards the freezer, taking out a blue ice pack before wrapping it in a cloth and handing it to Josie. 

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Josie asked, placing the ice pack on her outstretched leg before folding her arms. “We’ve known each other half our lives and any kind of compliment was always laced with venom or sarcasm.”

“As I said, you’re my only competition -”

“You see another thing about knowing you half my life is that I know when you’re lying,” Josie stated, staring at the blue-eyed girl. “What’s your game, Hope.”

“So… we’re on a first-name basis now?” Hope laughed despite Josie only arching her eyebrow in response. “Okay… the truth is... “ Hope took a deep breath whilst Josie waited patiently, although internally her heart was beating a hundred miles a minute.

“The truth is that I’m … I … I’m just sick of this rivalry between us.” Hope said, wincing slightly at her avoiding her actual feelings.

Josie couldn’t help but feel herself deflate slightly. 

“What I mean is that… well, as you said before, we’ve known each other half our lives and all we’ve done is fight and act like we're enemies.” Hope explained, twisting the ring on her finger that she definitely should not be wearing during a match. “I just think that it’s a waste of time. Wouldn’t it be easier if we were civil with each other or something?” Hope offered. 

Josie couldn’t help the smile that crept onto her face, “Lizzie is always saying that women should build each other up instead of tear each other down. Especially in the ‘male-dominated sporting world’ that we play in.” She then met the other girl’s eyes, her chest warming in the way Hope grinned at her. “I agree with you, especially because these brawls we keep having are not going to look too good to colleges.” 

Hope’s smile widened as she nodded in response. Baby Steps. She thinks. 

Hope sticks out her hand and offers a small smile, “I promise to be completely civil with you, Saltzman.” 

Josie lets out a laugh before pushing away Hope’s hand. Shortly after she sticks out her pinky. 

“What are we? 10?” Hope jokes, shoving the other girl’s shoulder playfully. 

“It’s a Saltzman thing to pinky swear on things.” Josie insists. “Come on, Mikaelson.” Hope rolls her eyes before interlocking her pinky with the other girl’s.

She tries to ignore the way her heart soars when Josie giggles, shaking their hands side to side and beaming in a way that makes the sun envy her smile. 

Oh, she’s so screwed.


	2. Cat got your tongue, Josie?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just before turning to face Jade, Josie threw a wink at Hope before turning her body towards the blonde with the joint between her lips. Josie leaned in synch with Jade, closing her eyes as the other girl’s lips ghosted her own, exhaling the cloud of smoke into her mouth, their lips brushing together. 
> 
> Jade tasted of nutmeg and something else and her free hand found Josie’s waist in the process. 
> 
> Hope shook with rage.

The air on the field felt charged and Josie pretended she had no idea why. She told Lizzie that it was a result of nerves of playing for the firsts for the first time but the furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips immediately told her Lizzie didn’t buy a single word of her half-assed excuse. 

Josie knew that the reason for the over-populated hornet’s nest in her stomach had auburn hair and was currently drinking a milkshake not 10 metres from her. 

It didn’t help when her team collectively shared a confused look when Hope had smiled and waved politely at Josie (causing a bright pink blush to form on the brunette’s cheeks). And Josie almost tripping at just a glimpse of Hope’s red sports bra was especially unhelpful as she tried to follow her captain Jess’ warm-up

Despite these distractions (including Josie choking on her lunch because Hope had come over with her friends to sit with Josie and a few of her teammates), the first day had been an overall success for the Salvatore Stallions throughout all teams. 

“You ready for tonight, Jos?” Jade’s bright smile caused Josie to lift her head as she shouldered her games bag. 

Josie’s confused pout and knitted eyebrows caused the blonde to laugh. 

“The party tonight.” She confirmed. “All schools will be there and it will be loads of fun.” She assured the girl. “Plus, it's you, Lizzie and Kaitlyn’s first nationals on the team so you have to come. It’s practically mandatory.” 

Josie laughed before nodding as Jade grinned in return. 

“Awesome, see you then.”

Josie didn’t miss the wink the older girl had shot her, causing the same blush from earlier to paint a rosy colour on her cheeks. 

“Her name’s Jade, right?” A voice from behind her made her jump as she whipped her head around to find a stiff-looking Hope standing there.

And gosh, even though her braids were messy and there were speckles of dirt on her forehead Josie thought she was gorgeous. 

“Pardon?” Josie asked, clearing her throat awkwardly.

“That girl you were talking to just now - Jade, right?” Hope repeated, her voice had a certain edge to it that didn’t sit quite right with Josie. 

“Uh yeah.” She answered. “She’s bound to be captain next year, at least that’s - uh - what Lizzie and I think. And I’m totally not biased because we’re friends or anything! She’s just really good and she helped me a lot with stick skills this year.”

“Oh, she’s your friend?” Hope asked, her eyes suddenly brighter than before and a real smile adorning her features. Josie scrunched her nose and nodded. 

“Of course we are, why are you asking?” Josie tilted her head slightly, sun rays catching on her brown eyes and Hope had to control her breathing. 

“I … I - uh … She just seemed a little more than friendly with you, you know?” Hope asked, hoping her jealousy wasn’t too evident in her voice. 

“Jade?” Josie giggled at the idea briefly. “No, we’re just friends. Anyways why does that bother you?” She inquired, arching an eyebrow. 

“It doesn’t,” Hope grumbled. 

“Mhm, sure.” Josie grinned, not knowing where this burst of confidence had sprung from. “We both know you’re just dying to get into my pants.” She laughed, internally cringing at how forward she was being and at the fact that she and Hope had only been friends for a few months now and here she is making sex jokes. Oh dear God why. 

Hope snorted despite her flaming red cheeks. 

“You wish, Saltzman.”

Josie shot her a bright smile before the two were interrupted. 

“Hope! Hurry up and stop flirting with Saltzman, we have to go get ready!” Penelope hollered from where she and Maya stood, amused smirks painted on their faces. 

“Shut up Park! You just want to go flirt with that blonde from Mystic Falls High!” Hope retaliated, not knowing why her words stumbled over each other like a pack of blind buffalos. 

She turned back to the mid-attack player, an apology for her friend’s behaviour on her tongue as well as an embarrassed excuse but the girl just giggled and shook her head in a way that said ‘Don’t worry’ to Hope. 

Hope found herself mirroring the girl’s smile briefly. 

“I’m assuming I’ll see you at the pre-final party?” Hope asked, a hopeful lilt in her voice. 

“Of course, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to whip your ass at beer pong.” Josie grinned. 

And with a quick goodbye, the two girls turned around and headed towards their respective teams’ buses, both of their hearts thundering with each step and it most definitely wasn’t a result of playing countless matches that day. 

//

“Saltzmans!” Jess hollered from across the room, a beer dangling dangerously from her fingertips. A smile etched across Josie’s lips as her sister dragged her across the room towards their captain. “Good to see you guys!” The redhead grinned, her words slurring ever so slightly. 

“Good to see you too Jess.” Lizzie smiled warmly, Josie beaming as well. 

“You two need to follow in Salvatore tradition and get wasted tonight.” She stated, shoving two beers towards the twins who simply shrugged, grinning at each other as they clinked their bottles together. “Oh! First off, you two played amazingly today! Even though I’m graduating this year, I’m glad to know that the team’s in good hands.” The twins’ smiles grew, Lizzie squeezing Josie’s arm at the praise from their captain.

“Ouch, Jecca, that’s gotta hurt.” Wendy interrupted, nursing some mysterious liquid in a solo cup. “Don’t forget that Jade and I are top of the school next year.” She countered, winking at the twins as she downed the rest of her drink.

“I personally think Lizzie and Joz would make amazing team captains,” Jade piped up, appearing out of what seemed like thin air beside Jess, “I mean, they’re sophomores and are already this good.” She reasoned, Wendy, considering it and nodding in agreement. 

“Don’t worry, Liz and I don’t plan on fighting for being captain anytime soon.” Josie laughed, not sure why her eyes were focusing on Jade in particular. “We’ll save that for the year after.” She winked at Jade who threw her a playful smirk in return. 

“Okay, okay,” Jess groaned, rolling her eyes, “before the bloodbath breaks out I’m gonna go chat up someone from the boys' teams.”

“More like before she’s too wasted to stand.” Wendy hummed, eyeing the flush on her captain’s cheeks and the slight wobble of her legs. 

“Shut up, Thomas,” Jess grumbles to Wendy before strutting off to one of the boys that she had mentioned earlier. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow before the final game, bright and early!” She called behind her, the half-assed tone gracing her voice meaning she’d probably be the last person to arrive rather than the first.

“Does she always get like this?” Josie giggled, leaning over towards Jade, the blonde looking incredibly pretty under the dim lighting, her blue eyes alight and a small smirk on her lips. 

“Oh, she’s barely gotten started.” Jade teased, edging closer to Josie and the younger girl revelling in the warmness radiating off the girl adjacent to her. “I’m glad you came.” She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the edges and Josie couldn’t help but notice that the flutter in her chest was nothing in comparison to what Hope made her feel. 

“I’m happy to be here.” Josie smiled before Lizzie pulled her arm.

“Sebastian, 11 O’Clock.” She murmured in her twin’s ear at the sight of her ex. 

“Isn’t he on the fencing team?” Josie wondered aloud, looking at her sister.

“That doesn’t matter, he’s here and I’m running away.” Lizzie’s eyes darted around the room. “Maybe MG’s here.” She said, Josie smiling at the way her sister’s eyes lit up but before Josie could respond the blonde was off. Josie couldn’t help but smile a bit, only a little sad that her sister had abandoned her for her boyfriend but oh well.

“They’re passing around a joint where Kaitlyn is?” Jade offered, noticing the brunette’s slightly fallen expression and knowing she was quite close with Kaitlyn. Josie gave her a smile in return, a way of expressing her thanks and also accepting the offer, thus allowing the blonde to drag her further into the abandoned carpark the students had gathered in. 

15 minutes later with a joint of her own (that she had nicked off of Kaleb before he managed to pass it around), Josie leaned her forearms against a metal surface in front of her, only half listening to what Wendy was saying to the rest of the group - probably something entertaining with her animated hand gestures. Josie looked up and couldn’t help but catch Jade’s eyes, the blonde sending her a mock eyeroll as Wendy graphically describes something along the lines of a ‘broken dick’ - Josie really doesn’t want to know. 

“I didn’t know you smoked.” A voice said, Josie turning her head and finding bright ocean blue eyes sparkling in the dim lighting. 

“Don’t tell Jess.” She chuckled, watching the smoke puff out in front of her as she hummed. “Do you?” She asked, trying desperately not to let her eyes linger on Hope’s cleavage. Fuck, Hope looked good in dark green. 

“On occasion.” She shrugged, mirroring Josie’s position and scooching slightly closer to the taller girl as she wordlessly passed it to Hope, a challenging look on her face. “Watch and learn, Saltzman.” Hope chuckled, her voice husky and sexy like melted chocolate and, God, Josie had never been more attracted to a person before. 

Hope brought the joint to her lips before her lips parted into an o, puffing out rings and making Josie shudder. 

“You okay, Jo?” Kaitlyn asked, nudging the brunette. 

“Mm? Oh, fine, I just forgot to bring a jacket.” Josie explained although the weather was barely cold.

“Cat got your tongue, Josie?” Hope asked, her voice low and Josie smelled raspberries and gin on her breath and had never felt more turned on. Josie rolled her eyes playfully before snatching the joint from her fingers. 

“Shut up.”

//

“Hey, Joz, you wanna shotgun?” Jade asked a wicked glint in her eyes and Josie nodded, beckoning the blonde over. She glanced behind her briefly and got just the reaction she was looking for. Hope had her fingers tightly gripped around her cup, her eyes narrowed slightly in such a way that her cool demeanour just couldn’t cover it. Josie didn’t know if it was the alcohol or the weed but Hope might just be jealous and she just couldn’t stop the smirk that stretched across her lips.

Just before turning to face Jade, Josie threw a wink at Hope before turning her body towards the blonde with the joint between her lips. Josie leaned in synch with Jade, closing her eyes as the other girl’s lips ghosted her own, exhaling the cloud of smoke into her mouth, their lips brushing together. Jade tasted of nutmeg and something else and her free hand found Josie’s waist in the process. 

Hope shook with rage. 

//

“Why so down in the dumps, Hopey?” Penelope offered her a pout, her chin resting on her fists. “Are you jealous?” She gasped, feigning shock and placing a hand over her heart for good measure. 

“Fuck off Park,” Hope grumbled, thrusting her empty cup towards Maya who happily topped her up before joining in on the teasing. She hopped off the wall she was perched on, not 5 ft away from Josie and Jade who were now giggling over something the blonde had said, far too close for Hope’s liking. 

“You know… I might just have a solution for little Hopey’s green friend.” She said, wrapping her arms around her auburn-haired friend from behind and kissing her cheek messily. The girl in question squirmed in her friend’s grip, repeating the same sentiment she had given Penelope earlier. “No need to get grumpy, I am but a humble servant trying to help one of my best friends.” Maya tsk’d. 

“Oh yeah? And what’s this genius idea?” Hope mumbled before sipping on her vodka and coke, hiding her pout as her eyes found Jade with a hand on Josie’s thigh. How the girl was wearing shorts and was fine with sitting down on a frail-looking plastic chair was beyond her. 

“Simple.” Maya hummed, grabbing Hope’s hand and approaching the group. “Who’s up for body shots?” She grinned, brandishing a bottle of tequila Ethan had brought. After all, the football players from the Mikaelson academy (as well as the Salvatore school) brought the best booze, hence why they had invited them to this not-so-little gathering. 

The mixture of cheers and groans that followed the girl’s statement attracted a few more people around them to join in on the preposition. 

“Alright, usual protocol,” Ethan hollered, gathering everyone’s attention, “we pass around two of these bottle caps and flick the spring on the cap. The unlucky bastards who break them already know what the punishment will be.” As a few people who preferred to watch sunk into the background, Hope levelled Josie with a flirty eyebrow raise, challenging her once again. 

“Game on.”

//

It was rather surprising that Josie had managed to break off the spring due to the grace the mid-attack carries with her on the field. Either way, it had caused a series of cheers around her, as well as a pat on the back from Lizzie out of sympathy, although the grin on the blonde’s face said otherwise. 

Why? Because the other person who had had the ‘misfortune’ of breaking the cap was one Hope Mikaelson. 

It wasn’t a surprise to Hope that she had broken it off because Penelope and Maya had given the spring rather hard flicks after seeing it was Josie who would be paired with someone. 

“Okay, as Josie broke first, she’ll be taking the shot,” Ethan announced. Hope shot said girl a smirk, raising her eyebrows once again as the younger girl straightened her back.

“Sure you can handle it?” Hope asked.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Josie grinned before taking the shot glass from Ethan. Hope shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m surprised you’re going through with this.” 

“Rules are rules.” Hope mused. 

“Never took you for a follower, Mikaelson.”

“ARE YOU TWO GOING TO GET A ROOM OR DO A SHOT?” Lizzie’s voice interjected, eliciting a few wolf whistles as Josie’s cheeks darkened at the remark and her eyes darkened at Hope rolling her eyes and pulling the collar of her shirt down, the sharp edges of the girl’s collar bone making the mid-attack player gulp.

“We gonna do this or what?” Hope asked, letting Maya wet her collar bone with water before placing a line of salt there. Penelope tossed her a lime that she caught with ease before turning back to a flushed Josie.

“Ready, Saltzman?” Hope teased, leaning back against the trunk of someone’s car as Josie sauntered up to her, handing her the shot glass. Hope placed the glass between her breasts carefully, pushing her chest out slightly, before placing the lime between her lips delicately and parting her legs for Josie to step between. 

“Born ready.” She then shrugged off the jacket MG had placed on her earlier, throwing it to Lizzie who caught it with practised ease. Josie allowed Hope to wrap her legs around her waist and pull her closer, her right hand steadying herself by gripping the boot of the car and her left hand on Hope’s hip, thumb stroking against the strip of pale skin there. “Relax, babe.” She whispered in Hope’s ear just before she dipped her head to her collar bone.

As Josie’s nimble tongue grazed Hope’s skin, the auburn-haired girl let out a sigh, her hand gripping Josie’s arm and urging her to stay close. Who knew that a person could feel this addictive. Josie smirked as she finished off the salt, ensuring to lick her lips slowly before setting her sights for the glass. 

With a practised swoop of her head, Josie caught the glass in her mouth, tipping her head back and downing the liquid. Her hand left Hope’s hip as it grabbed the glass from her mouth, ears tuning out Rafael’s comments (all light-hearted of course) and a few of the other boys’ catcalls, and set it to the side. Her breath was hot on Hope’s neck just before her lips brushed Hope’s, a spark of lightning igniting between the two as Josie snagged the lime, lips millimetres away from Hope. 

All she could smell was cedarwood and mint and listened only to Hope’s breathing as she seized it fully. 

“Told you so.” She whispered after spitting the lime out to the side. “Dance with me?” She asked, knowing that people were already starting to filter away and see who was next up. And although it was an open question with multiple answers, both girls knew what Hope’s reply would be. 

“Yes.”

//

The tight grip of Hope’s hands on her waist with her arms thrown over her shoulders as their bodies moved in tandem with each other, somehow matching the beat of the song that neither of them cared enough to recall the name of. Thoughts of Jade and Lizzie and Maya and Penelope and even Landon Kirby (who had been nice enough to compliment Josie on her game that day but dumb enough to flirt with Hope in front of the aforementioned girl) had all disappeared from their minds.

Both girls had enough booze in them to allow themselves to let loose, but not too much so that they would say ‘yes’ to certain things they wouldn’t whilst sober. 

As Josie’s hands tangled in Hope’s hair she couldn’t help but bring her closer. She was beyond glad that whilst Hope opted for heeled boots she chose a modest pair of vans, allowing the girls to be slightly closer in height as a result. She melted at the way Hope wound her arms tighter around her, pulling her close to her chest. She felt warm all over and she buried her face in Hope’s hair, letting out a quiet moan at the feeling of Hope’s lips ghosting the side of her neck.

“Hope.” The single syllable of the blue-eyed girl’s name on the brunette’s lips had the girl yearning to hear it again. 

Josie Saltzman was like a drug to her and Hope was hooked. 

“Josie,” Hope mumbled, Josie pulled away so she could look Hope in the eyes, her hands folding together at the nape of her neck. 

“What is it, baby?” Josie asked, the nickname escaping despite herself. She could just blame it on the weed or something. 

“I need you,” Hope whispered, her voice quiet and low but yearning and desperate for more than just a mere brush of their lips during some stupid shot challenge. 

“You have me.” 

Hope leaned forward, crashing their lips together. 

Kissing Josie for the first time was like her first time swimming in the ocean for Hope: at first, the water came crashing down on her, making her heartbeat quicken and thud harshly in her ears, panic overtaking her senses. 

But suddenly a stillness. The waves stilled for a moment before moving in tandem with her. Josie kissed back with as much fire as Hope, pulling Hope close and not planning on letting her go. 

Hope tasted like cheap beer and mint and fire and everything all at once and Josie couldn’t get enough. Meanwhile, Hope indulged herself with breathing in Josie Saltzman’s lavender smell as well as the tequila still lingering on her lips. 

The ocean crashed and drew back at a steady pace as Josie tilted her head, asking - no - begging for more. And Hope was a giver after all. 

Hope just couldn’t believe her 11-year-old self could ever hate this girl. 

And yet, thinking about it, Hope never really hated Josette Saltzman. She just hated the way she made her feel. 

16-year-old Hope Mikaelson, on the other hand, did not give a single shit about that though as she kissed Josie with all she had. 

Hope pulled away suddenly, causing Josie to whine and chase her lips. Hope chuckled, pressing her forehead against hers. 

“I’m sorry, I kissed you without asking.”

“Don’t ever apologise for kissing me,” Josie muttered before reclaiming Hope’s lips. 

//

That was the last time Josie and Hope had spoken to each other, especially due to their parting words barely being a conversation. Yeah, they had played against each other the literal day after but, for some reason, the cosmos was against them that day. 

Hope had been forced back to straight defence for that game by her captain, not allowing her to mark her favourite mid-attack player as a result. Moreover, both girls’ teams were hyper-focused during the rest break, thus barely letting them glance at each other. 

The most contact they had that day was at the very end. The Salvatore school boarded their bus, a little dismayed about placing second but still in good spirits. Hope had jogged towards the bus after telling her coach she needed to use the bathroom before leaving in hopes of just seeing her favourite brunette one last time. 

Instead, Hope froze up at the sight of Josie laughing with Jade. The blonde had her arm around the brown-eyed girl, whispering something in her ear that had made her giggle. She felt the claw of jealousy clench around her heart as she stared, dumbfounded and heartbroken, at the two girls. 

But then, the air changed. 

Josie Saltzman peeled herself off of Jade to put her bag away before looking up and catching Hope’s eyes. Immediately Hope’s whole demeanour changed, her eyebrows knitting into a frown and her arms folding. 

The smile that started to form on Josie’s face melted away at that. She said something to Kaitlyn before jogging over to the brooding girl. 

“Hope?” She asked, realising that Hope wasn’t meeting her eyes but looking off behind her. Josie furrowed her eyebrows before turning and seeing Jade glancing at the two of them. “Hope, no, please, it’s not what you think.” She said quickly, grabbing the other girl’s arms to prevent her from running off. “In fact, it’s the complete opposite of what you’re thinking in that pretty head of yours.” She sighed, mindlessly running a hand through Hope’s hair. 

“Then what was it, Saltzman?” Hope asked, her tone flat.

“Well, if you must know, I was just telling her about this girl I kissed last night.”

“Oh.” Hope murmured. 

“Yeah… Oh.” Josie managed a small laugh. Hope met her eyes, an apology on her lips when 

“JOSETTE LUCAS SALTZMAN!” Lizzie’s voice called. “ARE YOU COMING OR WHAT?” 

“COMING!” Josie yelled over her shoulder before turning back to Hope. “I-I’m sorry but, uh, I gotta…”

“No, no, don’t worry so do I.” Hope smiled, her voice lighter now. “I’ll see you later?” She asked.

“See you, Mikaelson.” She replied, pulling the shorter girl in for a tight hug before running to her bus before Lizzie could yell at her again. 

Hope stood dazed for a second before deciding she should probably run for her bus. 

The reality of the situation was that without the necessary talk they needed to have as well as upcoming exams and all kinds of different things going on in each girl’s life, there wasn’t much time to talk about anything, especially anything to do with the kiss.

So, again like every year, Josie threw her bag into her mother’s boyfriend’s car. 

“Are you excited for camp, Josie?” Stefan (her mother’s boyfriend) asked from the driver’s seat, turning around to look at the girl. 

“Oh, believe me, she’s particularly excited this year.” Lizzie snorted as she slid into the back with her sister. Josie flushed bright red, swatting at Lizzie’s arm after her remark. She may have been right but there was no need to voice that aloud. 

Stefan merely laughed before turning back to face the steering wheel. “Ah, I see.” He chuckled as they waited for their mother to come downstairs. 

“So, Stephanie, when are you proposing to our mother,” Lizzie asked absentmindedly, leaning forward in her seat. 

“Lizzie!” Josie exclaimed.

//

The drive was long but not tedious but as the music thrummed in her ears, Josie couldn’t help the excitement she felt knowing she would see Hope soon. 

// 

“Josie.” Her voice was breathless, almost like she couldn’t believe she was standing in front of her. 

“Hi, Hope.” Josie smiled before stepping forward and enveloping the small girl into a tight embrace. “I missed you.” She confessed. 

“I missed you more.”

“Not possible.” 

//

“You WHAT?” Lizzie screamed. 

“We agreed to just be friends, relationships complicate things,” Josie explained, sighing for the 6th time as she unpacked her bags. “Plus it’ll be awkward if we break up or anything and I don’t want that. It was just a drunk kiss anyway.”

“Josette, you were practically glued to her that night.”

“Details are irrelevant.”

//

Josie was fucked. Josie was so fucked. 

Friends?? Seriously?

She could not believe her ears when Hope suggested it. She also couldn’t believe that Hope refused to meet her eyes when she suggested it. 

All Josie wanted was Hope. But she couldn’t have Hope. 

Problem was she needed Hope… in more than just one way. 

Well… there’s one way to fix one of those problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I completely blame someone who knows who they are for the contents of the next chapter and I'll see you all in hell. 
> 
> Also please stay safe and healthy! Make sure that you also look after your mental health as well as your physical health and ensure that you breathe.
> 
> ngl, this was one of my favourite chapters to write
> 
> p.s.: the title is from a song called 'Neon Lights' by Pim Stones which is a gorgeous song.


	3. Like … like to the park?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I just had sex with Hope.”
> 
> “That’s nice, I just had gyoza.”
> 
> “Lizzie! You’re not helping!”
> 
> “Josie! I’m trying to eat my food!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Jessie, I hope you're happy and I'll see you in hell.
> 
> IMPORTANT: smut warning in this chapter, it's extremely vanilla because I'm unexperienced like that :P

Hope’s dorm room door slammed open and in walked Josette Saltzman. The girl assumed a defensive stance, folding her arms across her chest, legs planted firmly on the ground and her lips curving into a slight pout.

Hope had never found anyone more attractive.

“Yes?” The Mikaelson girl asked expectantly, placing her pencil down.

Josie’s stance faltered slightly as she realised that the door was still standing ajar.

“Well … Well I, uh…”

“Come on Saltzman spit it out,” Hope said, voice gentle enough, sitting up and facing the girl fully.

Josie paused before turning around and nudging the door closed with her foot.

“Well, now that no one can see you try to murder me, you can unsheath your secret knife,” Hope smirked, folding her arms over her chest, thus mirroring the taller girl.

Josie rolled her eyes.

Of course, Hope would say that. Why am I even here? I should just leave, this is incredibly stupid. I know we pledged to be civil and it’s worked, maybe we’re even friends now -

“Josie,” Hope’s voice broke through her thoughts, a lilt of softness and care. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah I just…” The brunette trailed off, not realising that Hope had stood up from the bed and simultaneously hating the fact that Hope could see right through her.

“Take your time, it’s okay.” Hope offered a small smile as Josie sighed, her shoulders drooping.

“It’s stupid.” She murmured.

“Oh for fuck’s-” Hope stopped herself before schooling her annoyed features and looking at Josie. “I’m sure that whatever it is, it’s not. Is it stick skills? Are the boys' team hitting on you? Do you want me to -”

“I want you to take my virginity.”

“What?”

“I want you, Hope Andrea Mikaelson, to take my virginity.”

“Like … like to the park? To the movies?” Hope asked, completely dumbfounded that here stood Josette Lucas Saltzman, probably the sexiest person she had ever laid her eyes on, asking her that question.

Holy shit she must be dreaming.

Wait… does that mean Josie Saltzman was about to -

“Hope, if I knew you were just going to make fun -”

“Wh - what? What, no!” Hope suddenly came back to reality. “I’m just… I’m a little… taken aback? Perhaps flattered? Josie, you do know that I’m also a virgin, right? If you’re looking for experience you won't find it here.” Hope murmured, trying to not sound as insecure as she felt.

“No, Hope, I … I just ... It’s stupid.” Josie groaned, slapping a hand against her forehead.

“Josie, when it comes to your virginity I assure you that it most definitely not stupid.”

“I’m just… I used to have this stupid rule about ‘firsts’ in that I needed my first time to be with the same person that I had my other firsts with.” Josie explained, her fingers rubbing together. Hope fixed her with a blank stare.

“I don’t follow.”

“What I’m saying is that considering my first kiss was a girl who now lives in Canada that that rule has gone out the window -”

“I still don’t see where I fall into -”

“Because you’re the best kisser I’ve ever encountered!” Josie spluttered.

The swell of pride in Hope’s chest had the older girl fighting the urge to grin and yell how she was the best kiss Josie Saltzman ever had as she nodded her head slowly.

“Don’t say anything,” Josie mumbled, her face bright red.

“I wasn’t going to.” Hope held her hands up.

“You just spoke.”

“Sorry, I guess I’ll just sit in silence.”

“Don’t be smart.”

“You’d rather I be dumb?”

“But would you?” Josie says after a beat. The question is charged and they both know it.

“Be dumb?” Hope immediately regrets it when Josie fixes her with a blank stare.

“I think you’ve already succeeded in that regard, Mikaelson.” She snarls, turning around to leave.

“Josie, wait!” Hope stands up and grabs her wrist. “I’m sorry.” The genuineness in her voice caused Josie to flash her a small smile.

“I’m sorry for making this weird.” Josie sighed, Hope guiding her to sit down in her desk chair whilst Hope perched on her desk.

“You didn’t.” Hope insisted.

“I did though.” Josie persisted, running a hand through her hair. “Besides, you’re probably not even attracted to me -”

“The hell? Of course, I am.” Hope frowned, feeling a twinge in her heart and Josie’s self-doubt. “I did kiss you at nationals, didn’t I?” Josie shrugged.

“I suppose but either way I shouldn’t have assumed -”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

“Sounds good.”

Josie then reached forward and pulled Hope towards her by the belt loops of her jeans. The auburn girl stumbled slightly, falling onto the taller girl’s lap with a small huff. A breath of laughter fanned across her face from the brunette before she felt soft lips crash against hers.

Hope hummed softly before tilting her head to meet Josie’s lips better, the younger girl letting out a soft moan when she traced her bottom lip with her tongue asking for entrance.

“Is this okay?” Hope asked softly, pulling back briefly to ask her. Josie nodded, her eyes not quite opening and her forehead pressed to Hope’s almost desperately.

“More than okay.” She reassured after realising Hope was looking for a verbal answer. “Please keep kissing me.”

Josie’s lips tasted like mint and it was so much better than the taste of alcohol that had previously clouded her taste buds the last time she had kissed the girl. Hope began to pull away from the girl, pulling out her bottom lip as she backed off, causing her to whimper in a way that sent a jolt of arousal down to her stomach. Hope chuckled cooly, hoping to regain her strength, before trailing her lips down Josie’s jawline towards her neck.

Josie’s breath, warm and staggered against her ear acted as encouragement for Hope as she placed kisses across her neck.

Josie’s hands bunched in her hair, pulling her closer than she thought was possible, whilst her lips ghosted the tan skin of Josie’s neck left her breathless.

“Hope,” Josie whispered her name in a way that it filled the room. Hope gently bit down on the skin, leaving marks she just knew Jade or Wendy would hassle Josie about the next day. But that didn’t matter. “Please.”

“Please what, baby?” Hope smirked, leaving yet another mark where Josie’s shoulder met her neck.

Josie grumbled something inaudible and Hope grinned in delight at the effect she had on Josie, glad that she wasn’t the only one feeling breathless under her touch. However, strong arms wrapped around her waist cut off her arrogance and before she knew it Josie had lifted her up alongside herself, carrying them over to Hope’s bed.

If Hope wasn’t turned on before…

“Cat got your tongue Mikaelson?” Josie smirked (bringing her back to the night of their first kiss) before climbing atop the shorter girl, straddling her quickly and pressing her lips to the auburn-haired girl’s, effectively silencing her before she could even generate a response.

Hope began to groan into the kiss, her hips lifting up in a desperate search for friction as Josie bit down gently on her lip before leaving marks of her own on the pale skin of Hope’s neck.

Soon enough Hope found her hands at the hem of Josie’s yellow tank top, fingers digging into her waist as her thumbs pushed the fabric up Josie’s stomach.

Hope looked up at the girl slowly, the brunette breathless and looking at her with dark eyes and bruised lips. A pink flush has spread from her cheeks to her neck and her chest is heaving and her hair (that had previously been in some sort of up-do) was sprawled across her mattress.

"You're so gorgeous," Josie mumbled before Hope turned them over so she now sat on top of Josie's thighs. Brown locks spread across white sheets and a small whine escaped Josie’s mouth and holy crap Hope did that and was probably the first person to see Josie like this.

Hope did that.

“Is this okay? Hope asked, fingers still gripping the yellow fabric.

“Yes,” Josie said, mouth forming a small smile before Hope lifted her tank top over her head.

Hope knew Josie was fit, I mean she’s next year’s lacrosse captain for crying out loud, but Josie’s toned stomach and arms left the blue-eyed girl breathless as she took in Josie Saltzman in nothing but red shorts and a white bralette. Josie, since they were about 15, had always had this aura of adorable crossbred with sexy but in this moment with this Josie lying down on her bed, staring at her with hungry eyes and sexed-up hair, Hope had never been more attracted to a person in her life.

“You’re beautiful.” She murmured as she kissed up her stomach, nose nuzzling into Josie’s navel as she finally kissed her forehead.

“You’re one to talk.” Josie smiled before flipping the other girl over. “My turn.”

Hope gulped audibly as Josie glued her lips to her own, hands trailing down to her green shirt.

“Can I?” She asked Hope’s heart warming at the look of care in Josie’s eyes. A firm nod from the auburn-haired girl was all she could manage as Josie sucked another hickey into her neck.

“Use your words, baby,” Josie mumbled, biting down on the skin and eliciting another groan from Hope.

“Yes,” Hope got out between another sigh, “please, Jo, I need your hands on me.” Josie grinned wickedly before mirroring Hope’s previous actions, admiring the other girl’s abs and wanting so badly to touch her.

Well … Hope had just said.

Josie gently placed her hands over Hope’s bra, groping as Hope let out the most gorgeous sound Josie had ever heard in her life. Holy shit, she made Hope make that noise.

“You… you can take it off if you want.” Hope whimpered.

Josie smiled into Hope’s collar bone before nodding, not knowing if Hope noticed.

“If you want, I can take mine off as well?” Josie asked.

Hope’s eyes widened comically and Josie let out a nervous giggle in response.

“Are… are you uh, are you sure?” Hope asked timidly.

“Only if you are.” Hope nodded quickly in response, sitting up and reaching behind herself immediately. “Someone’s eager.” Josie laughed before taking off her bralette.

Hope rolled her eyes before rolling on top of Josie, kissing down the valley of her breasts and shutting the girl up very quickly.

“Says the girl who stormed into my room and asked me to take her virginity.” Hope countered, nipping at tan skin as she kissed up Josie’s breast. Josie’s short laboured breaths were interrupted by a short laugh, accompanied by her hand finding its way back to being buried in Hope’s hair, and a nod of her head, her chin bumping Hope’s head.

“Touche.” She mumbled before letting out a cry and Hope’s mouth found her nipple. “Fuck, Hope,” Josie whispered, her voice so delicate and so soft and Hope swears she might just love this girl, this girl who she’s been pining over since she was 11.

This girl who is making these noises that have Hope dripping and throbbing for more.

“Hope,” Josie moaned as Hope had moved onto the other side, “please, I want to touch you.”

Fuck. Stop it, Hope, you’re a Mikaelson.

With some regained confidence Hope smirked, pinning Josie’s hips down.

“Shh, let’s just focus on you, Jo.” Josie tried to protest but instead let out a hot cry as Hope’s hips ground down on hers. Hope’s fingers toyed with the button of her shorts. “Can I take these off?”

The nod was good enough this time as Hope slid them down Josie’s legs before taking off her own jeans, not missing the way Josie raised her head and pouted at her.

“You can take them off next time.” Hope laughed before realising what she had just said.

“Pretty arrogant of you.” Josie laughed and Hope shrugged.

“Maybe I’m feeling lucky.”

Hope then pressed kisses to Josie’s legs as she sunk back down to the bed, leaving hickeys on her inner thighs before she lay down on top of Josie.

“I want to touch you first if that’s okay?” Hope asked, her blue eyes earnest and having this gleam to them, something that Josie couldn’t put her finger on.

“Okay.” Josie smiled as Hope hovered over her, hands coming up to cup Hope’s face, thumbs running across her cheeks as she looked into blue eyes. “I trust you.” She whispered, her heart skipping a beat at how Hope’s eyes glimmered and how Hope leaned into her touch.

Hope pressed a gentle kiss to Josie’s lips once again before beginning to kiss down her body to the hem of her pink underwear. Her fingers danced along Josie’s hip bone as the taller girl whimpered, feeling Hope’s warm breath over her clothed mound.

“Promise me that you’ll tell me if you don’t like something or want me to slow down,” Hope said, thumbs stroking the top of Josie’s panties. Josie smiled and gave her a reassuring nod.

“I promise.”

And with that Hope pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Josie’s underwear before tugging them down her legs.

Josie felt a chill run down her spine at being so exposed, especially with how wet she was. Hope’s eyes widened almost comically at the sight of Josie freaking Saltzman bare in front of her.

A whisper of her name is what sent the shorter girl into action and suddenly the fact that she had never done anything like this before was a distant thought in the back of her mind.

The only thought is that she’s Josette Saltzman’s first time and she’s going to make her cum.

She gently swiped her fingers across Josie’s clit, the other girl gasping in response, hands finding purchase in the sheets beside her. As Hope strokes her long fingers against Josie’s clit the girl begins to whimper in a way that makes Hope shift as her underwear starts to stick to her in a way that she could definitely get used to.

“Fuck.” A breath of a moan from Josie’s lips sparked a moment of bravery in Hope as she took the nub into her mouth. Josie clamped her hand over her mouth in response and Hope couldn’t help but grin in the smuggest way. The older girl then began to alternate between sucking and trying long licks up the other girl’s slit - which, from the way the other girl gasped and cursed, she assumed was a good move.

Hope gently pulled away from her clit causing Josie to let out a desperate whine that made Hope want to shove her face back between Josie’s legs and never leave. Instead, she laughed, before pulling Josie sideways and lying opposite her.

Slowly, Hope slid a finger into Josie’s waiting entrance. The brunette’s hands flew to Hope’s shoulders, gripping tightly in a way that made the other girl stop her movements.

Hope said nothing in the moment and instead leaned forward, placing gentle kisses on the other girl’s face as a sign of reassurance.

“Are you okay?” Hope asked, her finger still buried in the other girl and trying desperately not to think about how Josie clenched around her finger.

“Yeah,” Josie whispered, “just different, that’s all.” Hope nods, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“We can stop if you -”

“No!” Josie says far too quickly. “Please keep going.” Hope’s smile grows as she starts to move her finger, revelling in the way Josie gasps, her hands crawling up her neck to bury themselves in her hair.

Note to self, Saltzman definitely has some sort of hair kink that I should definitely take advantage of.

“Fuck, Hope, harder.”

Hope complies in a heartbeat, adding another finger for good measure whilst she’s at it and knowing it was worth it from the way Josie moaned and kissed her firmly, all teeth and tongue. She remembered her thumb and the other girl’s whimpers from earlier before she rubbed her thumb against her clit.

“Hope!” Josie cried out, fingers knotting in her hair and walls clenching tightly around Hope’s fingers. “Fuck! I’m close, I think I’m close.”

“Let it go, Jo, I got you,” Hope whispered.

“Kiss me,” Josie choked out and Hope rushed forward, falling in love with the way Josie smelled of chocolate and lavender and sweat and just Josie. With that, Josie came with a silent scream, mouth dropping open and pulling Hope closer than humanly possible.

Hope kept her fingers inside her to let her ride out the aftershocks, pressing kisses on her temple as Josie came down. Josie let out a puff of air as she buried her face in Hope’s neck and Hope pulled her fingers out of the other girl. She closed her eyes, breathing in the moment and running her (now clean) hands down Josie’s back for a few minutes, the ache between her thighs forgotten for now.

“Hope?” She asked, her voice breathless and dripping with sex.

“Yeah?”

“I lost my virginity before you, loser.” She teased, the blue-eyed girl feeling the upturn of her lips into her neck as she rolled her eyes.

“Well, considering I was your first time who’s the real loser here?”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

Josie paused for a minute before rolling them over so she was straddling Hope. “Well, if you say so.” Before Hope knew it, Josie’s head was between her own legs and she was shut up.

//

Lizzie Saltzman didn’t expect much out of her Saturday. Her plans for that day were to binge-watch ‘Nailed It’ and eat her takeout ramen and she has already ticked both boxes as she sat at her desk, shovelling chicken ramen into her mouth (the smell of pork made Josie feel sick and she wasn’t planning on dealing with Josie’s chundering today).

What Lizzie did not expect at all was for her sister to burst into her room midway through John’s failed tier cake with post-hook-up-hair and a panicked look on her face.

“I just had sex with Hope.”

“That’s nice, I just had gyoza.”

“Lizzie! You’re not helping!”

“Josie! I’m trying to eat my food!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be uploaded the day after tomorrow but because tomorrow marks the start of Ramadan for me and that's a holy month, I figured posting explicit smut would be a certified one-way ticket to hell. 
> 
> Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next one should be up in about 5 days or so because lessons have started again for me and my teachers decided to all give me an essay to write each because they love to see me suffer. 
> 
> ++ how would you guys feel about a decade dance? If so let me know if you'd prefer the 90s or the 70s!
> 
> Take care of yourselves!


	4. The best kind of different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So what if they were still friends. They were just friends that frequently had sex. That’s fine. 
> 
> Neither of them knows why they just wordlessly agreed to have this arrangement and they’re both fine with that.
> 
> If anything, Lizzie is the most distraught.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my 2nd fav chapter to write, no cap I love soft fake gfs

“Okay, so you’re telling me you regret having sex with Hope?” Lizzie asked, her twin now cuddled up to her side, head buried in the crook of her neck.

“Of course I don’t,” Josie sighed, “that’s the whole problem! I thought I could just have sex with her and maybe my feelings for her would fuck off or something -”

“I don’t think that’s how feelings work, Jo.” Lizzie hummed, kissing her sister’s head. 

“I hate feelings,” Josie grumbled. 

“I know.”

//

Josie had straightened her back and found herself walking back to Hope’s room the next day with a new air of confidence and sense of purpose. She was going to tell the auburn-haired girl how she felt. Yes, that she was. And she was going to do it now. This time she decided to knock on Hope’s door rather than barging in - perhaps that was more sensible even, especially considering what had happened last time she barged in there. 

The blue-eyed girl opened the door and brightened at the sight of the brunette. 

“Hey, Jo.” She grinned and Josie was immediately transfixed with the sight of blue eyes staring at her and the brightest smile and oh God she’s so screwed.

Crap, what if Hope didn’t want to see her anymore after this?    
  


“Jo?” Hope’s voice, so soothing and soft broke through Josie’s thoughts. “What’s wrong?” She asked, her blue eyes filled with worry.

“Nothing!” Josie said quickly. “Could I, uh, come in?” 

Hope wordlessly stepped out of the way, allowing the brown-eyed girl to step inside, kicking the door closed behind her. 

“If this is about yesterday -”

“Hope, if you don’t want to talk about it I can just go -”

“No!” Hope said, grabbing the younger girl’s forearms and glancing up at her. “P-please, stay?” Josie ducked her head to hide her blush but smiled, nodding. 

“All I want to say is that … I’m sorry.” Josie explained after sitting down on Hope’s chair, trying so hard not to think about the fact that she had been in the same position only yesterday but under very very different circumstances. 

“What? What for?” 

“Yesterday … Hope, I took away your chances at a beautiful first time with someone you love and care about.” She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I mean, yeah we’re friends but I feel like I forced you to do something you’re going to regret. I-I’m not saying I regret it at all, you were the perfect person for my first time but that doesn’t mean that I automatically am the perfect person for you, you know?”

The auburn-haired girl pursed her lips but remained silent.

“Hope, I’m really sorry.”

Suddenly she heard a laugh and when she looked up Hope was laughing, brightly and happily.

“Josie, you literally have nothing to be sorry for,” Hope reassured. “You were, and I mean this - I do, the perfect person for my first time.” 

“You’re sure?” Josie asked. Hope nodded before standing up and enveloping her into a hug. “In that case, what were you going to say about yesterday.” 

“Just that… I hope this doesn’t ruin anything between us. Like how we literally said we were going to try to be friends just yesterday.” She couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly, her ribcage shaking against Josie’s torso as the girl kept her in a firm hug. Josie giggled, burying her face in Hope’s hair. 

“Of course not, we’re still friends.” She hummed. 

//

Josie finds herself during the two weeks of lacrosse camp attached at the hip to Hope Mikaelson. Morning jogs become a thing and Hope feigns innocence after trying to trip Josie after she pokes at how short she is when they’re both wearing trainers. Whether it’s the rays of morning sunlight illuminating Josie’s side profile as they stop for a rest break or the shine of a thin layer of sweat on her forehead as she laughs, breathless and smelling of grass during a drill. Or, and this one is Hope’s favourite, it’s Josie lying on her side on Hope’s bed. Her words come out in whispers and her eyes are soft and warm as she traces constellations into Hope’s arm and hums the lyrics of a song Hope doesn’t recognise. 

It’s in these two weeks that Hope realises she’s kind of in love with her. And, maybe, that’s okay for her to keep to herself. 

The rasp of Josie’s voice in the morning after accidentally falling asleep in Hope’s bed the night before makes Hope become a morning person. It’s that rasp that also leads to Hope gently kissing the girl. 

“Shit, Jo I’m so sorry-”

“Didn’t I already tell you not to apologise for kissing me?” Josie mumbles. Their next kiss was intentional and made them late for practice due to what it lead to

//

So what if they were still friends. They were just friends that frequently had sex. That’s fine. 

Neither of them knows why they just wordlessly agreed to have this arrangement and they’re both  _ fine _ with that.

If anything, Lizzie is the most distraught.

“Josette are you fucking with me right now?”

“...No?”

“You’re impossible.” 

//

“You alright, Jo?” Hope asks quietly, fingers dancing down Josie’s leg. Josie hums, closing her eyes and just trying to memorise the pressure of Hope’s hands on her legs, pressing into her back and just Hope. 

“I just don’t want camp to end.” She manages after a minute, the thud of the bass of whatever song Hope had put on becoming muffled as she rolled on top of the other girl. “I don’t want this to end.” Her mouth ghosts the shell of Hope’s ear and she is borderline obsessed with feeling Hope shudder under her, her hands slipping under her shirt and scratching at Josie’s sun-kissed skin. 

“Mm neither.” Hope sighs and Josie lays kissed on her neck and shoulders, thankful she opted for a tank top that day. “But, Jo, we live in the same town, it doesn’t have to end if you don’t want it to.” She said, her voice soft as she pulled Josie closer to her. 

“Hm.” Josie considered, shifting herself so her knee slotted between Hope’s thighs, the other girl gasping, nails digging into her back. “I suppose I wouldn’t mind seeing you this summer. Especially if you keep making these pretty noises.”

Hope began to gasp as Josie rocked her knee against her panties, canting her hips forward. 

“Fuck me, Jo.”

“Whatever you want, babe.”

//

Josie Saltzman’s summer that year was brighter than she can imagine with Hope Mikaelson by her side. Lizzie doesn’t mind having her friend taken away, especially since she hangs out with MG all the time now. 

Group dates become a thing during summer. It changes every week and they started accidentally. 

Essentially one night MG and Lizzie were watching a movie and Hope and Josie joined them. Before they knew it MG had proposed they all go play laser tag (which Lizzie shot down, something about how clunky the vests are) but after some convincing (read: begging) from her sister, her boyfriend and Hope, Lizzie agreed. 

Even though Hope and Josie are not dating they call them group dates. Neither of them mind and Hope even invited Penelope and Maya along to them in hopes of furthering her belief that it’s not an actual date. 

But when Josie smiles at her in the bright lights of the arcade they had all agreed on going to one night, her eyes soulful and happy and so alive… Hope just can’t help the way she wishes it was a real date. And the brunette holds her hand as they weave through noisy arcade machines. 

Hope finds herself leaning on Josie as when the group end up going to a party at Kaleb’s house (which is really just a small get together), talking under the stars as Hope snuggles into Josie’s side. 

The twins even manage to convince their dad to let them use the Old Mill at school for a few parties where Hope gets introduced to half of Josie’s classmates.

It all feels very relationship-y and Hope doesn’t care.

She cares even less when she dips her fingers beneath the waistband of Josie’s underwear and Josie arches her back into the mattress. 

It only becomes a little complicated when Hope emerges from Josie’s room one morning in Josie’s hoodie and shorts and bumps into Caroline and Stefan eating at the table. 

“Good morning.” She greets politely, ignoring the way Lizzie smirks into her coffee and focusing instead on how Josie goes to hold her head. 

“Hope, I’m assuming?” Caroline asks, a smile on her face. The girl nods and smiles shyly before Stefan gestures to one of the empty chairs. “It’s nice to put a face to the name my daughter keeps bringing up.”

“Mum!” 

//

It turns out that Caroline and Stefan both approve and she’s now due to meet Alaric soon because him seeing her at lacrosse games isn’t enough. 

Whatever, she’s fine with it. 

She’s especially fine with it when Josie beams at her, her hair still slightly mussed and her eyes glittering. 

//

“What’s up, buttercup.” Hope greets as she swings her leg through Josie’s window. 

“You know I have a door, right?” Josie yawns, sitting up in bed and glad that Lizzie and her had decided to have separate rooms at their mum’s house but a sleepy smile still on her face. 

“Doors are overrated,” Hope says, already toeing off her shoes and walking over to Josie who had reached out to bring the other girl closer. “Plus, I wouldn’t want the warden on my back about doorbells or whatever.” Josie hummed, finally pulling the auburn-haired girl down to the bed so she could cuddle her. 

“You’re warm,” Josie mumbled, pressing her face into Hope’s chest. 

“And you’re cute when you’re sleepy,” Hope says, kissing Josie’s head. “But I wanted to thank you tonight.” 

“Hm?”

“For meeting my aunts.” Hope explained, fidgeting her fingers together. “And for, uh, holding my hand and such when they brought up my parents.” Josie felt her heart melt at the other girl’s confession. 

“What are fake girlfriends for?” 

“It… it meant a lot,” Hope said, Josie then sitting up to face her. 

“Always, Hope.” She whispered softly, her face inches away from the other girl’s. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I am… especially when I’m with you.” The blue-eyed girl confessed, her hair hanging in front of her face as she bowed her head out of slight embarrassment. The words were unspoken but they hung heavy in the air between them, Josie searching Hope’s face for something … she wasn’t quite sure what though.

“Lucky for you, I’m not going anywhere.” Josie smiled easily, taking Hope’s hand in hers. 

Hope smiled before clearing her throat. “Anyway, I came to thank you.” She smirked before her lips met Josie’s neck and Josie gasped. 

“Hope.” She groaned. 

“You were so good tonight.” Hope husks, her fingers travelling underneath Josie’s thin sleep shorts. “And when you’re good you deserve a reward.”

“Fuck.”

“From what I’m seeing, Jo, you like being a good girl.”

//

“Hey,” Hope said, sitting up to look at Josie. The brunette perching her sunglasses on her head before propping herself up on her elbows.

“I thought we already did this a few hours ago but, hi.” Josie teased, the other girl flicking her leg in response. 

“Shut up, all I was going to say was that I’ve constructed a plan.” Hope declared, picking up her iced tea to sip on before she continued. “How about we go away on a trip?” She asked, her fingers fidgeting as she spoke. 

“A trip?” Josie asked, sitting up fully and beginning to absentmindedly play with Hope’s fingers. “Where?” 

“Maybe the beach? You’ve been whining about how your annual family holiday was cancelled so I figured we could go or something.” Hope explained. “Plus my family has a beach house there.” Josie hummed in thought before turning around so she could lay her head in the other girl’s lap. 

“It sounds perfect.” Josie smiled softly, looking up and admiring the other girl in the afternoon light of the park in Mystic Falls. The light filtering in through the leaves of the tree they were seated under created a glowing halo around the other girl and Josie couldn’t help but smile even wider at the way Hope’s eyes danced with joy at Josie’s reply. As if she could ever say no to Hope and her bright blue eyes anyway. 

“We can even bring Lizzie and MG,” Hope offered, “we could make it a group trip maybe.” Josie found herself leaning up and capturing Hope’s lips with her own, the kiss wasn’t rushed or heated in any way, instead, it was gentle and loving, a breath of summer breeze causing the grass to lick at Josie’s bare legs as she cupped Hope’s cheek. The older girl simply threaded her fingers through the brunette’s other hand that she was still holding onto, smiling into the kiss and deciding that summer was her favourite season. 

“What was that for,” Hope asked, briefly pulling away before reclaiming the brown-eyed girl’s lips with a brisk peck. “Not that you ever need a reason to kiss me.” Josie giggled before shrugging. 

“A ‘thank you’ I suppose.” She squeezed Hope’s hand, enjoying the feeling of Hope’s eyelashes on her cheek as the other girl kissed her temple. “Other people have just always complained about how much of my time Lizzie takes up but… you’re different.”

Hope tilted her head, a playful smile on her face as she took in the sight of Josie with her hanging loose in front of her face, petals from the flowers Hope had placed in the brown locks still visible and her brown eyes warmer than the sun. She tried not to think about how Josie’s lips tasted like the strawberry milkshake from earlier and how Josie’s laugh was her favourite sound - well, that next to Josie’s moans maybe. 

“Good different?” Her voice was tentative, almost tip-toeing around what she really wanted to say. 

“The best kind of different.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because my summer plans have been taken away by Miss Rona I said to myself that I should just live my summer plans vicariously through these characters. 
> 
> So because I've started school again and my school are trying to come up with my calculated grades and have given me an unholy amount of work, I decided I'm going to update this once a week? So probably every Monday so I have the weekend to finish up homework and details in the chapters. Hope you guys understand! 
> 
> Stay sane!


	5. She's out of your league, hobbit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josie kissed a handful of people in her 16 years of life but none of them were as good as Hope Mikaelson. 
> 
> Kissing Hope was different, firstly because it made her tingle all over, so much so that she could feel it in her toes. 
> 
> It’s like she’s kissing her for the first time over and over again because it never changes and that’s what scares her the most. 

Josie’s first kiss was awkward, in fact, it was _beyond_ awkward. It wasn’t everything to her as they advertise it in every corny teenage romance; instead, it was rushed and weird and not quite right. But hey, no one says your first kiss has to be perfect. 

It was with some girl who used to go to the Salvatore School and Josie was shorter than her and had to stand on a higher step just to reach her lips. She was 10 or so when she had squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her lips briskly to the other girl’s, bouncing on her toes as she waited for a response when she blinked her eyes open. 

“H-how was that?” She dug the toe of her shoe into the metal of the steps, a blush on her cheeks as the other girl smiled bashfully at her. 

“It was good, great even.” The girl - her name was Astrid or something - grinned. “Can we do that again?” Josie nodded way too enthusiastically, but Astrid didn’t complain when Josie connected their lips again, this time more certainly but just as softly as the first time. 

Josie has kissed a handful of people in her 16 years of life but none of them were as good as Hope Mikaelson. 

Kissing Hope was different, firstly because it made her tingle all over, so much so that she could feel it in her toes. The auburn-haired girl always made her feel slightly dazed afterwards, like how it feels when your head breaks through the tension of water after a wave passes over your head in the ocean. 

It’s like she’s kissing her for the first time over and over again because it never changes and that’s what scares her the most. 

_“I’m not looking for anything serious really, Hope.”_

_“Well, neither, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop doing this.” She suggested, finger waving between the two of them in a gesture. “We could still be friends, you know?”_

_“Mhm, friends who just kiss and have sex.” Josie mocked, rolling her eyes._

_“You read my mind.” Hope grinned. “It doesn’t have to mean anything and I’m starting to think you like my company.”_

_“You’re okay I guess.” Josie hummed thoughtfully, sizing the girl up and down._

_“Plus, you can’t tell me I’m not the best sex you ever had.”_

_“Hope, you’re the only -”_

_“And yet that automatically makes me the best.” Hope countered, grinning and batting her eyelashes._

_“You’re a dork.”_

The same girl was currently loading up the jeep Josie managed to borrow off of Stefan’s brother Damon under the condition that it would be in mint condition when they brought it back. 

“Goodbye girls,” Caroline said, her voice wavering slightly as she kissed her daughters’ heads. 

“I don’t know why she’s crying, she sends us off to Lacrosse camp every summer,” Lizzie said. 

“She also cries every time she drops us off.” Josie giggled, her mother chastising them through tears shortly after. 

“Have fun, kid.” Stefan grinned, hugging her tightly before she smiled and murmured a ‘thanks’ and bid him goodbye as she turned to her father. 

“Stay safe.” Her dad whispered, pulling her in tightly. “I know Hope can’t get you pregnant or anything -”

“Seriously!? Right now?” Josie blushed furiously, backing away from her father with wide eyes.

“Josie, it’s never the wrong time to talk about safe sex.” Her dad stated firmly, unaware of Lizzie’s snickering.

Her sister wouldn’t, would she?

“Trust me, dad,” nevermind, Lizzie’s a traitor, “it’s far too late now -” Josie quickly clamped a hand over her sister’s mouth, her father suddenly growing awkward as he straightened up. 

“I’m going to kill you,” Josie muttered to her twin through a plastered-on smile and wide eyes. 

“Girls,” Alaric started, before he sighed, “please don’t kill each other.” His daughters couldn’t help but smile as they pulled him in for one last hug. “I’ll see you both in a week.”

“Love you, dad!” They called in unison. 

As Lizzie shoves her bag into MG’s arms (the boy not even questioning it, especially after she pecks his lips in a silent ‘thank you’), Josie bounces over to Hope. 

“Hi.” She grins, placing her arms over Hope’s shoulder so naturally as they _had_ done it a hundred times before. Hope grins easily, sliding an arm around her waist as her hand slips into the back pocket of her shorts. 

“Hi to you too.” She replies. “These shorts look good on you, never thought I’d consider green my favourite colour.” 

“And you fail to realise that my family are standing 6 feet behind me,” Josie said, placing a sweet kiss on Hope’s temple, the other girl humming before she waved with the hand on Josie’s waist at her parents. 

“Relax, they like me.” 

“Enough that they don’t mind you fondling their daughter in front of them.”

“Considering the look on your dad’s face I’d say it’s a firm ‘no’.” Hope considered, her smile growing as Josie laughed, throwing her head back slightly. “I like it when you laugh,” She murmurs, “your eyes sparkle when you laugh.”

“I know, you smile when I laugh and that’s why I do it.” Josie hums before a loud noise interrupts them. 

“Mikaelson! Stop molesting my sister!” Lizzie shouts, her voice not muffled even a tiny bit by the windows of the car, MG sitting beside her with a smirk on his face. 

“I deeply apologise, Princess Saltzman, that your sister looks hot in shorts.” Hope replies easily before untangling herself from Josie. Lizzie shoots her an eye roll and her middle finger whilst Hope salutes her in return.

“I’ll never understand your friendship with my sister.” 

“Neither will I.” Hope shrugs before tugging Josie to the jeep. “Alas, we shan’t keep her waiting any longer.” Josie couldn’t help but shake her head as she walked over to the passenger’s seat.

//

It turns out inviting a load of their friends was the best idea MG came up with. 

“Joz!” Jade yells, running over to the girl and hugging her tightly. Josie squeals when her friend lifts her off the ground, twirling them around. 

“Nice to see you too, Jade.” The brunette laughs after the blonde sets her down. “I feel obliged to ask you how much you’ve drunk.” 

Her, Hope, Lizzie and MG had arrived late in the evening to Penelope’s family beach house due to there being several pit stops on the way as well as a swim in the ocean before they dropped off their stuff at Hope’s place. 

Josie couldn’t care less about being late, especially when she remembered the way Hope wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed her so hard she was left dizzy and smiling. 

_“You’re so cute.” Josie had smiled after Hope stood on her toes to kiss Josie again and again._

_“And you’re a sap.” Hope stuck her tongue out before feeling Josie wrap her arms around her waist. Before she knew it the taller girl had hoisted her up in the air and slung her over her shoulder. “Jo!”_

_“I can’t hear you!” Josie hollered as she started heading towards the ocean._

_“Put me down!” Hope said, although her threat wasn’t very convincing due to the squeal and string of laughter that followed it._

_“You sure you want that, Hopey?” Josie teased, swinging the shorter girl towards the waves that came up to her thighs. Hope squealed as she felt the water splash against her legs._

_“On second thought, I’m very comfortable up here.” She hummed before Josie let out an airy giggle against her cheek._

_“That’s what I thought.”_

As Josie’s mind came back to the present she realised Jade was saying something.

“I drank one beer, relax.” The blonde said, rolling her eyes as she punched the brunette’s shoulder. “Do you want anything to drink? I think Raf brought a cooler.” 

“I’m fine thanks, I should go say ‘hi’ to Kaleb,” Josie explained and Jade nodded. “See you in a minute, captain.” Jade threw her a playful wink in return before she headed off to presumably find Wendy - that or find another beer. Josie let out a laugh as she turned to find Hope standing there, a small smile on her face and a cup in her hand. 

“I got you a screwdriver.” Hope smiled, holding up the cup to Josie. 

“I knew I was keeping you around for a reason.” Josie grinned, pecking Hope’s cheek. 

//

After helping Kaleb set-up a safe bonfire, all the teens huddled around the source of warmth. MG and Lizzie had naturally gravitated towards each other and were now not-so-subtly making out whilst huddled together. Rafael and Jed had silently taken each other’s hands and now sat shoulder to shoulder, glancing at each other with soft expressions. Looking around at all her friends, Hope felt a warmth in her chest that she couldn’t quite name but it sat there and warmed her up. Even looking over at Maya and Penelope who were throwing grapes into each other’s mouths and Kaleb telling an animated story with wild hand gestures. 

“Hey, Hope.” The auburn-haired girl turned and was met with green-grey eyes and a lop-sided smile. 

“Hi, Landon.” She greeted him politely. “I haven’t seen you since nationals, how have you been?” 

“I’ve been good, congrats on your nationals win by the way.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck. Despite the two going to school together at the Mikaelson academy, their paths didn’t cross much. “Even though it was ages ago it’s still all anyone can talk about.” Hope nodded and smiled. 

“Thanks, I was happy to see you there, you know, supporting your school.” 

“You were?” He asked, his eyes glinting in the firelight. Hope tilted her head, nodding before trying to read him. “Would you, uh, maybe want to sit with me?” 

“Well, we’re all going to be sitting together no matter what.” Hope stated, gesturing towards the lack of spaces left around the campfire. Landon laughed awkwardly, clearing his throat and trying to meet Hope’s eyes. 

“No, no I meant like…” he trailed off before recomposing himself, “you remember the party at nationals, right?”

“Yeah, you tagged along with Raf and the other lacrosse players from the academy,” Hope recalled. “We talked for a bit, didn’t we?”

“Y-yeah, you were wearing that green shirt that makes your eyes pop and I tried to talk to you but you were hanging out with your friend from Salvatore… uh... Josie, right?” 

“Mhm.” Hope hummed, feeling slightly uneasy and beginning to search for familiar brown eyes. 

“In case you didn’t know, Hope, I was trying to flirt with you.” He laughed, scratching his head. “I kept trying to find you at school but you were always at practice or in class or -”

_Oh shit._

“What did you say?” Landon asked, furrowing his eyebrows. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, I-I’m fine.” Hope stuttered out. “Just a little tired.” She then brought her drink to her lips. 

“Do you want to sit down? I got a blanket if you don’t mind sharing?” He asked, his lips curving up into what was a pretty pathetic attempt at a smirk. Did he _really_ think he had a chance right now? Good lord…

“Landon, I’m flattered but -” 

“Hope, _come_ _on_ , Kaleb wants to play a drinking game.” Hope immediately relaxed as she felt arms wrap around her. “Oh! Hi! I’m Josie.” The brunette smiled towards Landon, Hope hearing the venom laced behind every syllable. 

“Yeah, we met at the party, I’m Landon.” The boy smiled awkwardly, hands falling to his sides. “You’re Hope’s friend, right?” He asked, a hopeful lilt in his voice.

“Oh yeah, we’re really close.” Hope nodded, enjoying the way Josie’s arms tightened around her protectively. “Some could even call us best friends.” 

“Haha, yeah, I can tell.” He mused, gesturing towards the way that Josie was holding Hope tightly towards her chest. “But, last time I recalled, you two were enemies or something?”

“Mmm, not for about a year now.” Josie hummed, her breath hot against the shell of Hope’s ear. “Hope and I got close _really fast_ though, we practically know each other inside out.” She smirked, kissing Hope’s neck discreetly and nuzzling her nose into her hair. 

It wasn’t _necessarily_ a lie but it wasn’t the truth either. 

“In fact, Hope, I need you right now,” Josie said. “Lady problems.” She whispered to Landon before grabbing Hope’s hand and tugging the giggling girl away. 

Landon frowned before shrugging and facing the fire as well as about 10 people looking at him. 

“Sorry guys, Hope and Josie needed to use the bathroom.” He explained sitting down, shortly followed by a snort from a handful of people as well as Lizzie guffawing. “What?” He asked, attempting to examine his friends’ expressions. “What am I missing?” He asked, looking at his brother who shrugged in return. 

“Beats me, Lan.”

“Oh yeah, sure, they just needed the toilet,” Maya smirks to herself before biting down on a Dorito. 

“You should go check on them, I think the sink in the bathroom they’re using is busted,” Penelope suggests as she snatched the packet out of Maya's hands. 

“ _Please_ don’t listen to them, Landon.” Kaitlyn pipes up, shuddering at a distant memory. “I still get nightmares from when I was told to go get them for dinner.”

“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” Landon bursts out in frustration. “I don’t get it, Josie’s just helping her friend out.”

“Well… she’s definitely _helping_ Hope get off.” Lizzie muses. 

“Get off what?” A pause. “Oh."

“Did you think they were just _that_ good of friends?” Penelope asks. “Hope and I have been best friends since we were kids and she doesn’t let me hug her nearly as much as Josie does, let alone kiss her 99% of the time.”

"I don't know! How am I supposed to know how girl friendships work!" Landon splutters. "I barely know how girls work!"

"Trust me, Justin Timberlake, we know that from the ballsy way you tried to ask _Hope Mikaelson_ out." Lizzie snorted, Kaleb guffawing in agreement. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked indignantly. 

"No offence but she's ... she just ... you know..." MG trailed off, gesturing mindlessly with his hand. 

"No, I don't know." Landon scowled.

"She's out of your league, hobbit." Lizzie deadpanned, throwing back a shot as she did so. A few agreeing murmurs were passed around. 

"That's subjective," Landon grumbled. 

“I mean," Jade interrupted, bringing the conversation back on topic, "Joz _is_ really affectionate but have you ever seen her borderline give me a hickey?” Jade points out. 

“Speaking of hickies…” Ethan murmurs, his eyes drifting towards the sound of two girls laughing. 

“I told you I only needed three minutes.” Josie murmured, smirking at Hope victoriously. 

“Well, babe, I only needed two so don’t act so smug,” Hope replied without missing a beat. 

“We didn’t need to know you two’s personal records,” MG said as Lizzie gagged. 

Josie was so glad that it was dark enough that her friends couldn’t see how red her face had turned. 

//

MG and Lizzie had already gone back to the house, the former having to practically throw the latter over his shoulder as Lizzie struggled to keep her eyes open. A few others had also turned in or gone back to their place and so on but Josie remained still and peaceful in Hope’s arms.

The brunette watched the flames lick and dance in the fire, her eyes trained on them as they danced a steady rhythm back and forth, almost like a waltz of some sort. She felt warm all over as she inhaled the way that Hope smelled like pine and cinnamon and she fell just a little bit more in love with her. 

“Jo?” Hope asked, her voice small and quiet despite them being the only ones left at the dying fire. Josie hummed in response, turning so she could meet Hope’s ocean blue eyes. “I… I wanted to say that I hope you know that if you want to date Jade, I won’t mind.” Josie furrowed her eyebrows, wanting to sit up but Hope held her down. “I’m not saying this because I’m not having fun with you or anything because I am, I really am. It’s just…” 

“What are you talking about?” Josie asked, wriggling out of Hope’s grip and facing the auburn-haired girl. “Hope, Jade and I are not happening, we established that during nationals after I kissed you. Plus, Jade’s probably off to some fancy medical school next year and I wouldn’t want to drag her down like some kind of dead-weight.” Josie then gently brought her hands up to Hope’s face, running her thumb along the girl’s cheekbones. The shorter girl sighed as she melted into the brunette’s touch, shutting her eyes and trying to internalise the weight of Josie’s soft hands on her face. “Besides, I already have the most beautiful girl in the world right in front of me and I don’t plan on going anywhere without her right now.” 

“Whoever calls you dead-weight should suffer a long painful death.” Hope mumbles, kissing the corner of Josie’s mouth.

“And I’m sure they’ll suffer that at your hands.” Josie hums. 

Hope then offered her a bashful smile before gently pressing their lips together. 

Josie quickly pulled away, her eyes wide and worried. 

“Why did you ask me that though? Was it because of Landon? Because if you do want to date him I won’t stand in your way.”

Hope let out a laugh at that, gently tucking Josie’s hair behind her ear. “No, dumbass, plus why would I date a ‘human-sized muppet’ - your sister’s words, not mine.” Josie giggled at that, kissing Hope again, more firmly this time. 

Hope’s hands travelled to Josie’s waist as the brunette wrapped her own around Hope’s neck, pulling her closer, Hope smiling as she slowly lowered Josie down to the blanket strewn across the sand. 

Josie let out a soft moan as Hope bit down on her lower lip, using her tongue to soothe it quickly afterwards. The younger girl’s hands tangled themselves in Hope’s hair, begging her to come even closer if that was even possible. Hope’s hips pressed into Josie’s own, grinding down roughly and eliciting another moan from the brunette. Hope smirked cockily before lowering her mouth to Josie’s neck, kissing gently.

“The marks from last time have faded already,” Hope mumbled, frowning deeply at the now faint bruises on Josie’s neck. 

“Hmm, there’s an easy solution to that.” Josie laughed, already feeling the familiar nip of Hope’s teeth against her skin, the brunette sighing in turn. “Hope, as much as I’m enjoying this, why don’t we go back?”

“Because,” Hope punctuated each word with a kiss along Josie’s neck, lips trailing down to Josie’s chest that was left exposed by her top, “this is a lot more fun.”

“If only I had realised that I was agreeing to have sex with an exhibitionist.” 

Hope smirked against Josie’s navel as she began to tug down the other girl’s skirt. 

“Says the one who sunk to her knees in Pen’s bathroom not even an hour ago.” 

“You make a convincing point.” Josie then let out a gasp as she felt Hope’s fingers enter her, grinding down into Hope’s palm whilst Hope busied her other hand with pulling down Josie’s clothes. “Fuck.” She gasped. 

“You’re so pretty like this.” Hope mumbles, leaving kisses on Josie’s inner thighs. “Look at you, a trembling mess.”

“You say such sweet things.” Josie choked out, her attempt at being calm and cool going sideways as soon as she clamped a hand over her mouth when Hope curled her fingers.

“We gonna talk forever or are you going to let me fuck you.” Hope stilled her fingers as the other girl whined. 

“The second option, please,” Josie replied, wrapping her legs around Hope’s waist.

“As you wish, love," Hope smirked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Honestly I just miss summer. It's 34 degrees here (that's 90 Fahrenheit??) and I'm barely leaving the house so I am justified in how emotional I am (I live on the equator). But, the MCO is being lifted this week so I can finally see my dad again after 3 months!
> 
> FYI I hate writing smut because I feel like it’s awful because you can smell how much of an awkward virgin I am. 
> 
> All comments are welcome! I love reading comments and chatting with you guys :)
> 
> Stay safe!


	6. Make quiet things heard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What?” Josie asked, pulling Hope closer towards her as she laughed breathlessly.
> 
> “Nothing,” Hope hummed, “I just like being here with you.” 
> 
> “Nowhere else I’d rather be,” Josie confessed, bringing Hope into a hug. 
> 
> “Nerd.”
> 
> “I’m your nerd though.”

“You cheated,” Hope grumbled as Josie grinned at the stuffed puppy she now had tightly gripped in her hand. 

“I was going to graciously thank you for letting me win to spare your ego, Miss Mikaelson.” Josie gasped, feigning offence. “And now after you’ve accused  _ me _ of committing such a heinous crime, I’m afraid I have no choice but to gloat.” Hope rolled her eyes, turning her back on the taller girl before Josie had grabbed her wrist and turned her around.

Hope let out a squeak as her hands landed instinctively on Josie’s hips.

“Admit it, Hopey, I beat you fair and square.” Josie grinned, her breath hot on Hope’s face and suddenly the sounds of the carnival around them were turned to white noise. All Hope could see was Josie’s face as it was lit up by the colourful lights of the rollercoaster behind them, the splashes of red, blue, orange and pink making Josie look ethereal in the warm August air. Josie’s fingers were curled in the belt loops of Hope’s shorts and the auburn-haired girl felt a smile stretch across her lips. 

“What?” Josie asked, pulling Hope closer towards her as she laughed breathlessly.

“Nothing,” Hope hummed, “I just like being here with you.” 

“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” Josie confessed, bringing Hope into a hug. 

“Nerd.”

“I’m your nerd though.”

“Damn right you are.” Hope smiles, nuzzling her face into Josie’s hair. 

“Oh, by the way, this is for you.” Josie pulls away before thrusting the toy towards Hope. Hope’s eyes widen as she delicately takes the toy from the other girl. 

“But you won it, fair and square.” She insisted but the brunette shook her head. 

“I only wanted to win so I could give this to you. It’s because you’re like this little pitbull, you see? You act all tough and badass but you’re just a cutie that wants to be hugged.” Josie explained, a wide smile on her face. 

Hope felt her cheeks flame up at that. 

“I-I … shut up.” She mutters before pulling the taller girl into a sweet kiss. 

“Come on! Lizzie and MG want to ride the Ferris wheel and we have to, Hope.” Josie pipes up, pulling away after spotting her sister and best friend beckoning them over. 

“Will you buy me food after?” Hope asked, only half-joking. 

“Obviously.” Josie scoffed.

//

“You smell like cotton candy.” Josie hummed, cuddling up to Hope as they sat on a bench eating their food, knees knocking together. 

“And you smell like nacho cheese, so keep away from me.” Hope teased, outstretching her arm to keep the other girl away. 

“Fine, I guess you’re not getting laid tonight,” Josie stated promptly before standing up and stood up, Lizzie following her suit as the twins walked over to a drinks vendor. 

“She’s joking, right?” Hope asked MG, Jade and Wendy who were sitting across from her. 

“For the sake of my sleep schedule, I hope she isn't.” MG snorted at Hope’s genuine look of worry. 

“Haha, but seriously, she  _ is _ joking, right?” 

//

The fact that Hope’s Instagram was now 90% Josie and vice versa did not faze either of the girls nor did either of them realise it until Josie received a text from Stefanie Salvatore, asking her who her new girlfriend was. Josie was midway through the box of popcorn her and Hope were sharing when Stefanie had swiped up on her story demanding to be introduced to ‘the pretty auburn-haired girl who is such an upgrade from your ex’ as soon as she arrived home. 

Josie couldn’t help but admire the photo she had taken of Hope. The girl stood in front of the entrance to the carnival, not fully facing Josie as she stared up at the lights of the rides and attractions glaring brightly at her. Hope’s eyes were alight as a smile stretched across her lips.

Hope had half pinned her hair up in a way that Josie could only describe as ‘princess-like’ and she had never thought any person could be as beautiful as the girl who now sat in front of her, her head thrown back in laughter as Lizzie made another jeering comment at Landon’s lack of coordination that caused him to lose to Lizzie in almost every carnival game - to which the boy blushed as he flipped off her twin.

“You okay?” MG asked, his arm slung over his best friend’s shoulders. 

“Never better.” Josie smiled, leaning on his shoulder. “What are we going to do with those two though.” She giggled, gesturing towards her sister and Hope who were currently challenging the rest of the boys (Rafael, Jed, Kaleb and Landon) to some sort of activity that involved drinking and press-ups. 

“Mr Schue over there can barely lift his backpack so let’s excuse him from this,” Lizzie said pointedly, the curly-haired boy in question pausing before realising that he would actually rather sit this challenge out. 

“Double or nothing if Jade sits on my back the whole time?” Hope pipes up and Josie presses her palm to her forehead. “Jade! Come sit on my back! Jades also on our team now because have you  _ seen _ her biceps?” 

“Hmm, maybe we can ship them off somewhere,” Wendy chimes in as she joins them, “I heard Siberia is nice this time of year.” Josie laughs as she pulls Wendy into the half-hug she currently has MG in. 

“Hey, Thomas, maybe we can elope after we’ve sent those bozos off.” She jokes and Wendy chuckles. 

“Oh yeah, MG can drive us to Vegas and we’ll get hitched.” The other girl laughs and the boy grins. 

“I have no objections to that.”

Wendy grins as she hands Josie a ring pop to ‘seal the deal’, “I’m gonna go make sure Jade doesn’t break her arm now.” 

“How did we end up with such batshit insane girls?” Josie asks, turning to her best friend before unwrapping her ring pop. 

“We got lucky I suppose.” He hums, kissing Josie’s head. “But most importantly we have each other.” 

“My ride or die.” Josie grins. 

//

“I got you something,” Hope whispers on one of the final days of their trip, the waves crashing distantly and the sound of Lizzie screaming as MG splashes her with water. There’s sand peppered in her hair as well as droplets of water from the waves and her eyes are bluer than the ocean and even more beautiful. 

Josie turns onto her side to face her before deciding to sit up to mirror her. 

“Hope, you didn’t need to get me anything. You already organised this whole weekend and I can’t thank you enough.” Josie said and Hope smiled bashfully. 

“Trust me, me seeing you in a yellow bikini is enough thanks.” Josie blushed deeply, nodding to prompt Hope to continue. “Anyway, I got you this.” Hope then brought out a small black velvet bag and passed it to the girl. “I found it when I was shopping with my Aunt Freya and I don’t know why but I thought of you.”

Josie opened the bag carefully, taking out a beautiful silver necklace. She studied it carefully as she held it against her palm, taking note of the engravings of a caduceus, a sailing ship and a crest engraved in the middle. Josie smiled softly as she looked back up to a worried Hope who was twisting the ring on her finger. 

“I love it.” Josie smiled. “Would you help me put it on?” Hope nodded immediately as Josie turned around, placing the necklace around her neck. 

Hope easily took the clasp of the necklace between her fingers, fastening it around the other girl’s neck. Hope smiled as Josie touched the silver that now lay against her chest, leaning forward and pressing kisses along the hot skin of Josie’s shoulders and back.

“You know,” Hope began, Josie turning around to face her. “My aunt told me that that necklace has some sort of rumoured magical history. Apparently, it holds magic capabilities as it's thought to be a talisman of sound.” She explained, Josie listening intently. “The purpose of it is to ‘make quiet things heard’. I wanted to give it to you because I want you to know that even in the loudest room, I’ll always hear you.” 

Josie couldn’t help the warmth she felt in her chest after Hope’s words. 

“Please don’t cry, I’m sorry if I offended you!” Hope stuttered out, reaching forward for Josie. 

“You didn’t!” Josie reassured her. “It’s just… no one has ever gotten me such a thoughtful gift before.”

“Then you’ve clearly been hanging out with the wrong people.”

“Or,” Josie countered, crawling towards Hope in a way that was too sexy to be human for one Hope Mikaelson, “I just have had the misfortune of  _ not _ hanging out with  _ you _ until last year.” She grinned and Hope smiled. 

“Trust me, I was the unfortunate one,” Hope explains, Josie now only a millimetre away from her. Josie giggled before pressing her lips to the other girl’s.

“Get a room!” Lizzie hollered from further down the beach, Hope flipping her off without pulling away from the brunette. 

“Make sure to invite us to the wedding Mikaelson!” Penelope grinned from where she sat perched in Maya’s lap. 

“Dibs being a bridesmaid!” 

“They do know we’re not really dating, right?” Josie mumbled, her smile not fading for a second, Hope ducked her head and laughed. 

“Let them dream a little longer.” The auburn-haired girl whispered causing the brunette to giggle as she brought her in for another kiss. 

She tilted her head to deepen the kiss as Josie let out a sigh. Hope grinned, tangling her fingers in Josie’s damp hair and pulling her down on top of her. 

“Thank you for the best summer so far.” Josie murmured against Hope’s lips. 

“Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you.”

//

“Josie, where are we?” Hope asks for the 10th time as Josie finishes drawing along her arm. 

“And… done!” She grins victoriously, holding up her marker as if to punctuate her victory. 

“Well done Picasso, you want to tell me where we are now?” Hope asks, pointedly raising an eyebrow after Josie rolls her eyes. 

“To be honest, I have no clue.” Josie hums before skipping off. 

“What the hell does that mean?” The other girl gaped, running after her friend. “You mean to tell me that you made MG drop us off on a random street with no clue where you’re going? And the only method of transportation we have is a penny board?” 

“Not just any penny board,” Josie corrected, her lips forming a pout, “my magic penny board.” She beamed and Hope couldn’t help but feel her rage melt away slightly. “Also don’t stress because we’re only about a 30-minute walk from the beach where the rest of our friends are.”

“So… why aren’t we there?” Hope asked as Josie slung her backpack off her shoulders, crouching down to unzip it. 

“For a girl who spent most of her life not speaking a word to me, you tend to ask a lot of questions.” Josie hummed, taking out her ‘sacred’ penny board and placing it on the ground with a type of precision that made Hope smile. “Anyways, you told me a story yesterday about ‘making quiet things heard’ -”

“It wasn’t really a story more like -”

“Be quiet so I can be romantic.” Josie proclaimed, holding her hand out in a silent invitation for Hope to hold it - they’re friends and friends hold hands all the time. “As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me: it’s my turn to tell you a story. There’s a tale that during the old times-”

“Weird that you don’t have a specific date.”

“And during these old times,” Josie continued, raising her voice to overlap Hope’s, “people hadn’t invented maps yet. One day, this man was painting on his wife’s arm, tracing the veins that ran along her arm up to the lines on her palm and having them connect to form this path… so he followed it. Lo and behold it led to this discovery of gold and silver buried in the ground, this treasure bringing prosperity to the island resultantly. Everyone was happy and the island thrived all because of this man and his love for his wife. When they asked him how on earth he found this treasure he told them this, ‘I followed the path set for me by the most beautiful woman I know’.” 

Josie then looked into Hope eyes, brown meeting blue and a smile brighter than the sun on the brunette’s face. 

“So, today I figured I would follow his example.” She explained. “Because, you know, you’re the most beautiful girl  _ I _ know. I’m also mostly hoping it will lead us to a food place instead of a pile of gold because I’m hungry and I want fries.” 

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re the cutest person to exist?” Hope asked, her heart officially having melted to a puddle. “And guess what?”

“What?” Josie smiled as Hope leaned closer, their noses brushing.

“I think that I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”

//

“I don’t think your penny board is as lucky as you claim it to be.” Hope murmurs, examining Josie’s leg. 

“Hope, it’s a scrape and a few cuts, I doubt I’ll need to have it amputated.” Josie sighed, attempting for the 100th time to pull her leg away from the other girl. 

“I still think we should get Jade to look at it.” 

“You’re very overdramatic.”

“And you’re very stupid for thinking you could do a kickflip with a piece of plastic.”

“In my defence, I barely know what a kickflip is.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts and what you guys would like to see from this fic!


	7. Did you cry at the ending or do you have no soul?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I think it’s a Mikaelson thing to immediately love Josie Saltzman.” Hope mumbles to Marcel who laughs in response, patting the younger girl’s shoulder. 
> 
> It turns out everyone in her family loved Hope’s ‘girlfriend’, not just her little cousin.
> 
> And although Hope had gone to the door to let Josie in, she wasn’t even given a whole minute to admire how beautiful the girl looked that night. 

In the middle of August Hope’s cousin, Nik turns 6 and grows more attached to the ‘pretty girl that keeps coming over to the house’ than his cousin. It annoys Hope at first but when she finds Nik asleep on Josie’s lap on a hot summer afternoon she couldn’t care less. 

“I think your cousin likes your girlfriend.” Her aunt Keelin teases, poking Hope in the stomach as Nik talks their ears off over how good Josie is at playing the ukulele and how amazing she is at lacrosse whilst the family are sat down for dinner. 

“Is that so?” Hope mused, laughing lightly before her phone buzzed. 

“Is that Josie?” Her cousin asked, his head shot up and eyes wide. Hope paused before bursting out with laughter. “Hope!” Nik whined, leaning over towards his cousin to catch a glimpse of her phone. “Lemme see!”

“Excuse me, Niklaus, but she’s  _ my _ girlfriend.” Hope stuck her tongue out. 

“Give it 10 years.” The 6-year-old grumbled, Freya choking on her water at the response. 

It officially starts to annoy Hope again when her aunts invite their extended family over for their monthly Saturday dinner with the entire family and all Nik can talk about is Josie. 

“This Josie sounds like a keeper, Nikky.” Her Uncle Kol laughs and Nik grins smugly at his cousin who feels ready to hit him over the head with her lacrosse stick. “How do you know she likes you?”

“Easy,” he grins, “she always smiles at me lots.” 

“Any girl would be lucky to date you,” Rebekah assures him. “So, is she in your class? When are you going to ask her out?” 

The boy pauses as he counts on his fingers, staring at Hope the entire time.

“Hm… maybe in 9 years?” He thinks aloud. 

“Am I missing something?” Marcel asked, causing Freya and Keelin to smirk at each other.

“Keep dreaming, dwarf.” Hope grumbles and Rebekah shoots her an inquisitive look before Hope sighs. “Josie’s 16 and is also  _ my _ girlfriend.” She explains. 

“Not for long.” Nik pouts before crawling into Davina’s lap. 

“You have a girlfriend?” Rebekah gapes. “We need to meet her!”

“How about next weekend?” Freya offers, checking with her niece who nods. 

//

“I think it’s a Mikaelson thing to immediately love Josie Saltzman.” Hope mumbles to Marcel who laughs in response, patting the younger girl’s shoulder. 

It turns out everyone in her family loved Hope’s ‘girlfriend’, not just her little cousin.

And although Hope had gone to the door to let Josie in, she wasn’t even given a whole minute to admire how beautiful the girl looked that night. 

_ Hope excitedly yanked the door open and couldn’t help the way her breath caught in her throat. Josie’s hair was down, all soft and wavy as she tucked a lock of it behind her ear and smiled bashfully at Hope. The girl was wearing a dark blue skirt and a white button-up, a silver clip pulling her hair back.  _

_ “Hey.” She grinned.  _

_ “Uh, I … hi.” Hope managed to get out.  _

_ “You look really pretty,” Josie said smoothly, leaning down to kiss Hope chastely.  _

_ “Jo, you’re gorgeous.” Hope breathed out, warming at how Josie’s smile turned shy. “Oh! Come in!” She said, opening the door wider, the brunette thanking her. “Thanks for coming.” _

_ “Of course, nowhere else I’d rather be.” Josie smiled, tugging Hope forward by the belt loops of her jeans to thread her fingers through her hair.  _

_ “In all seriousness, you look -” _

_ “JOSIE!” The sound of feet running towards them broke the two girls apart. The boy glaring at his cousin before he hugged the taller girl’s legs.  _

_ “Hi, kiddo!” Josie grinned, the boy had attached himself to her leg before she swooped down and picked him up, swinging him as she hugged him. “How’s my favourite Mikaelson?” She asked.  _

_ “Gee thanks, Jo.” Hope rolled her eyes, her fake girlfriend winking at her.  _

“You should be glad we like her, love,” Rebekah smirked, throwing an arm around her niece. “God knows how long it took for us to like that old boyfriend of yours … what was his name?”

“Greece?” Kol asked, having left his wife to talk to Josie. “No that wasn’t - Oh! Roman!”

“Ugh, don’t say that name.” Hope shuddered. “Either way I’m glad you like Josie.” 

“I hope you keep her around, she seems like a keeper.” Her uncle winked, her aunt nodded before going back over to probably interrogate Josie more. 

“I hope I can.” Hope sighed to herself before pushing off the wall she was leaning on. 

//

The mouthguard, despite disuse over the summer, easily slipped between Josie’s lips, the yellow lacrosse ball rolling back and forth underneath her lacrosse boots. The brunette let her jaw adjust around the rubber, twirling her stick in her hands before she let it drop. 

The brown-eyed girl turned around, hitting the play button on her Spotify as she scooped the ball up with practised ease, the action being effortless and second nature to her now. 

The opening guitar of the song ‘Loser’ by Jaguar Twin played as Josie cradled the ball across her face a few times for good measure before throwing it against the wall that stood tall opposite her. 

The now worn down white brick wall had cracks in the paint from the various times Josie and Lizzie had used it for wall ball practice or just for fun. Memories of MG daring Josie to climb up the wall when they were 10 (resulting in a sprained wrist and two scraped knees), Lizzie and her sitting against the wall as they ate ice cream and her and Stefanie talking about the cute people they saw at school were embedded into that wall that sat at the back of the park in Josie’s neighbourhood. 

Josie expertly stuck her stick out to the left, turning her stick into the catch slightly as a particularly hard throw against the wall caused it to skew off at an awkward angle. 

“I don’t know whether to be impressed as a friend or terrified as the person who’s going to have to mark you.” A voice that filled Josie’s chest with warmth and made her heart stutter called from over her shoulder. 

Josie painted on her best smug smile as she turned to face the blue-eyed girl who stood a few feet from her, her stick in hand. 

“Terrified,” Josie answers, “I’d definitely go with terrified.” She shrugs, smiling as it gets a laugh out of the other girl. 

“Any chance you need a partner?” She asked.

“Depends if you’re ready to get your ass handed to you. Last time I checked, you don’t like losing.” 

“Pot, kettle,” Hope retorts, Josie pursing her lips in feigned anger. “Anyway, you’re lucky I’m into competitive girls.”

“I’m so happy I checked a box on your list, Miss Mikaelson.” Josie smiles. 

“You should be,” Hope says pointedly, rolling Josie’s previously discarded ball back before scooping it into the head of her stick, “it’s a very long list and is very specific.”

“Do elaborate,” Josie says, Hope throwing the ball to her. “I’d love to know how else I should go about improving myself to meet these standards of yours.” The brunette then easily returned the throw with a swift overarm throw back to Hope, stepping back as she did so. 

“Let’s see.” Hope hummed, cradling the ball after she straightened up from catching it. “Brunette, brown eyes, adorable laugh, the funniest person on earth, too smart for any normal teenager, incredibly modest (unless she’s pulling your leg), competitive and pouty lips.” She finishes. 

“Hm… yeah, don’t think I check that intelligence box.” Josie pouts. 

“Did I mention the modest part?” 

//

In the final week of summer, Josie and Hope were attached at the hip before school started again. Whether it was going for a walk in the park or having a movie night outside the Old Mill with their friends, the two were never seen apart (obviously aside from family time and the like). It was almost like they were actually dating but, of course, neither of them were brave enough to go near that title. 

Josie closed her eyes as her head thumped gently against the dock that overlooked the Salvatore School lake, the sun shining brightly on her face as she hummed along to a distant tune in her head. 

“Who came on shuffle?” Hope asks, her head resting on Josie’s stomach as she flicked through her copy of ‘Breaking Legacies’. 

“Hm?” Josie replies, her fingers mindlessly carding through Hope’s hair. 

“The song you were humming.”

“Iris,” Josie replies and Hope smiles. 

“You feeling the 90s right now?” Hope says, her eyes still trained on the print of the book. 

“Well, Lizzie’s already planning the decade dance for this year and I’m 100% sure it’s going to be the 90s.” The auburn-haired girl laughs as she rolls over, her chin now resting on Josie’s stomach. 

“Let me guess, she’s going as Cher Horowitz from ‘Clueless’.” 

“Is she really that predictable? Josie giggles and Hope shrugs. 

“It’s a classic go-to I suppose.” Her fingers lazily trail along Josie’s exposed stomach, the brunette only wearing her bikini top and shorts. Josie hums in agreement, her fingers still knotted in Hope’s soft hair. 

“Would you… want to go with me? To the dance that is.” Josie asks, her voice shy. Hope’s lips curve up into a smile, the auburn-haired girl pushing herself upwards to crawl up the brunette’s body, the warmth of the dock beneath her not quite burning her hands. 

“It’s a date.”

//

“What are you reading?” Hope asks, the two sitting in a hammock in Hope’s back garden, Hope poking at Josie’s book with her toes. 

“Call me by your name,” Josie answers, the faraway look in her eye dissolving in her pupils as she bats the other girl’s foot away. Hope hums in thought at that. 

“I’ve seen the movie,” she replies, “it was good. The age difference was weird but it was still a beautiful movie.” Josie hums, smiling at that. 

“Did you cry at the ending or do you have no soul?” The brunette asks, sliding the photobooth strip of herself and Hope in between the worn pages of the book to act as a bookmark. 

“Depends on who’s asking.” Hope smiles, turning back to her own book, smirking at Josie over the crinkled pages as she did so. 

The pretty pink flush on Josie’s cheek and necks due to the humid August weather that enveloped them like a thick blanket made the younger girl glow in Hope’s eyes and she couldn’t help but feel the dread set in her chest that summer was reaching its final few pages. 

Hope was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t realise Josie was speaking. 

“Pardon? Hope asked, laying her book flat on her chest as she looked at the younger girl, whose curious expression had returned, staring with the crinkle between her eyebrows. 

“Is it better to speak or die?” Josie asked, her expression unreadable as she gazed at Hope. 

Josie couldn’t help the way she looked at Hope and Hope always felt anxious under it. When Josie Saltzman and her doe eyes looked at her with that unreadable expression Hope felt trapped, but not by Josie… by herself instead. At that moment, Hope understood the anguish of the prince and Elio Perlman, thoughts tracing back to the boy whispering his own name frantically and desperately into the phone. 

“To speak.” Hope answers after a heavy pause. “Otherwise you might die with an unspoken desire in your heart.” 

“Agreed…” Josie said, the inflexion of her voice indicating she had more to say, causing Hope to sit quietly, her hand reaching down to trace along Josie’s thigh. “But when it comes down to it… it can be easier to die unspoken than to have your heart die alongside rejection, no?” Hope paused, biting down on her lip. 

“I suppose it depends on whether you’re brave enough to speak.”

“Are you?” 

“I… I don’t know,” Hope answered truthfully. “I guess if the occasion arises I’ll find out.” 

“Yeah… me too.” The brunette says, Hope telling herself that the glint of disappointment in her eyes was just her imagination. 

“So… does he speak?” Hope asks, a small smile on her face. Josie returns the warm smile.

“No, he fudges.” She replies easily.

“Figures,” Hope huffs, over dramatising her recital as she does so, “he’s french.” 

The warm laughter that floats towards her from the girl who glows brighter than the sun makes everything worth it though. 

//

Around midnight, two nights before school started, Hope’s head perked up at the sound of feet shuffling from the outside the study of the Mikaelson manor. 

Assuming it was probably one of her aunts, the auburn-haired girl continued humming along to whatever song came on from her summer playlist that she had appropriately named “Josie”. As the song ‘Carry You’ by Ruelle began to fill the otherwise silent room, the door creaked open slowly. 

“Hope?” Nik called out from the doorway, rubbing his eye with his fist. 

“Hey bud, sorry, was I playing my music too loud?” Hope asked, patting her lap in an invitation for the younger boy to sit down. 

“No,” Nik replied, walking towards his cousin and climbing into her lap. The young boy curled into his cousin’s lap, tucking his head back into the junction between her shoulder and neck. “Just not tired.” He murmured. 

Hope nodded, leaving a kiss against his dark curly hair. 

“What are you doing?” Nik asked, sitting up to catch a glimpse of what was on the desk in front of him. Hope smiled, tilting her sketchbook up towards her cousin so he could have a look. “Pretty.” He smiled sleepily at the sketch the blue-eyed girl had done of a calm dock on a hot summer's day, a picnic basket and ukulele sitting in the warmth of the sun. 

“I’m glad you like it.” Hope grinned, tickling her younger cousin’s side as he squirmed in her lap in response. 

“Any reason why you can’t sleep?” She said, the boy shrugging as he pulled the sleeves of his dinosaur pyjamas down his arms. “Hm, well, anything I can do?”

He sat thoughtfully for a moment before his face brightened. 

“Show me more drawings?” He asked and Hope laughed, nodding as she flicked through her sketchbook. “Here’s one of my favourites.” She said, smiling to herself as Nik let out a gasp, leaning forward to get a better look at the drawing his cousin showed him.

“It’s Josie.” He says, a smile of his own forming on his face. Hope felt her heart warm at that as she hummed, running a hand through her cousin’s tangled hair. 

Hope peered over her cousin’s shoulder, admiring her work and her smiling growing. She had sketched Josie earlier that very day, the girl was holding her ukelele in her hands, plucking a chord progression and singing quietly to herself when Hope decided to sketch her. 

In the drawing the brunette was sat with her legs crossed, her lips forming a pout as she examined the dents in her fingers that probably resulted from her continuous ukulele playing that afternoon. Her damp hair was curling as the ends as it dried in the afternoon sun and the talisman sat proudly just below her collar bone, water droplets still clinging to it from Hope having thrown Josie into the lake about an hour beforehand. Hope realised that no other drawing that she had made had had the same warming effect on her than the one sat in front of her. 

“Hopey?” Nik asked. 

“Yeah?” 

“Do you love Josie?” He asked, the question so casual and easy for him but terrifying and confusing and potentially dangerous for Hope. 

Hope sighed as she searched for an answer that would be easy for him to understand. 

“It’s not that easy, bud.” Hope explained. “It’s not always so easy to just  _ know _ these things.”

“It seems easy to me.” Nik frowned, turning in Hope’s lap to face her. “I love a lot of things like football, ice cream, fluffy dogs, swimming, you, Josie, my mums and grilled cheese.” Hope smiled, chuckling softly. 

“Grilled cheese is really good.” She hummed, her fingers drumming against the arm of her chair. “But, you see, when you get older it’s not as easy as that. Like… there are different kinds of love, and you’ll learn that when you’re older.”

“What different kinds?” The boy asked. “I wanna know now.” 

“Well…” Hope huffed shortly before landing on an explanation. “Okay, so you know how you love me and your mums and Aunt Rebekah, Uncle Marcel, Aunt Davina and Uncle Kol -”

“Not when he beats me at Fifa though.” Nik protests and Hope nods, her smile still bright. 

“- right - anyways, that’s family love. The kind that’s hard to fade, one that you’ll have with you always and forever.” She explained, her heartstrings tugging as she thought of her parents and Uncle Elijah whom her cousin was too young to have known. “Then there’s the love you have for your friends.”

“Like my best friends at school!” 

“Exactly. That’s different from family love but it can still be as strong and as bright, especially because sometimes your friends  _ are _ your family.” Nik nodded, prodding Hope to continue. “Then there’s a special kind of love, something that doesn’t happen often. Like Aunt Freya and Aunt Keelin, they have that special kind of love. My mum used to say that sometimes that love can be so strong that the person you feel it for can be your ‘epic love’.” 

“So… which one is Josie?” He asks.

Hope purses her lips, the answer already on her tongue but fear of rejection and heartbreak had clamped it down, preferring to leave it there to rot rather than out in the open.

“Is that the hard part?” Nik’s eyes are soft and innocent but they still bore into Hope’s soul, the auburn-haired girl huffing again before shrugging. “Well, when I don’t know the answer to something in school I ‘break it down’ - you told me to do that when I was doing homework.” He smiled toothily, causing Hope to laugh. 

“Hm, maybe I should take my own advice.” She said, leaning forward and shutting her sketchbook closed. “ _ You _ , on the other hand, should be asleep by now and I don’t feel like getting caught by Aunt Freya well past your bedtime.” Hope stated, turning off the desk lamp and scooping her cousin up into her arms, the boy giggling before letting out a sleepy yawn as he lay his head on her shoulder. 

Hope easily turned off the lights in the study and closed the door, carrying the sleepy boy upstairs and tucking him back into bed. 

“Hope?” Nik asked quietly, his voice muffled by his duvet. 

“Mhm?” Hope said, sitting down on the edge of his bed. 

“I think it’s the third type.” He mumbles, smiling sleepily as his eyes fluttered close. 

Hope rolled her eyes, kissing her cousin’s forehead and pulling the blankets up to his chin before she paused. 

“Me too,” She whispered into the dark, “but sometimes it’s better to die.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been a hot minute! I got very distracted and it's almost Eid so I'm very excited but also very stressed.
> 
> I hope all of you are staying safe as per!
> 
> Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter! If you couldn't tell, I rewatched CMBYN recently...


	8. You can't fake that

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Plus,” Hope had smirked, “we can keep up our favourite extracurriculars for stress relief.” 

The summer draws to a close and Hope and Josie decide that keeping up appearances of them fake dating wouldn’t hurt during their junior year.

_ “Plus,”  _ Hope had smirked, _ “we can keep up our favourite extracurriculars for stress relief.”  _

And how could Josie ever say no to that? Not that she was even planning on doing so anyway but it was still nice to know that Hope was still up for whatever they were doing.

So when Josie practically skipped through the halls of the Salvatore School on her first week back, absolutely no one questioned her heightened mood, especially when they heard her peels of laughter as she sat in the common room on the phone with her ‘girlfriend’ from the Mikaelson Academy.

“I thought Josie hated Hope though?” One of the younger students, Lilly, had asked. 

“They were arch rivals up until nationals.” Pedro began to explain to his group of friends. “But when Josie, Lizzie, Jade and the rest of the team all came back someone overheard them talking about Hope and Josie’s new ‘friendship’ - they used air quotes around the friendship for some reason.” 

“And they’re dating now?” Another boy piped up and Pedro shrugged. 

“It looks like it.”

//

“Hey, we’re having a party tonight at the Old Mill, you and your delinquents at the academy feel like coming?” Josie said, not looking up from her homework as she continued writing her essay. 

“I’ll ask Raf and Ethan to bring booze.” Hope chuckled on her end of their facetime call and Josie smiled. “Where are you anyway?”

“My room at the school,” Josie explained, grabbing her phone to show the other girl her and Lizzie’s shared dorm room at the school. “When we stay with our dad it basically means we go back to school.” 

“Hmm, is that dorm going to be occupied tonight?” Hope asks, a glint of mischief evident in her eyes. 

“That depends…” She said, tapping a finger against her cheek as if in thought. “What are your plans tonight, Miss Mikaelson?” 

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I was planning on visiting this one person who’s had my attention recently. I figured the party at the Salvatore school would be my opening for me to make out with them.” Hope explained as Josie rolled her eyes, not being able to help the blush on her cheeks. 

“Is that so?” Josie hummed absentmindedly. “Tell me more about this person.”

“Gosh, where do I start, you know?” Hope said, her voice taking on an overly dramatic tone. “They have just  _ got _ to be one of the most attractive people I’ve seen in my life! I mean their eyes are the warmest prettiest things I have ever looked into, and their voice? Did I mention they can sing? Their voice is like melted gold and I wish I was joking. Jo, you really have to help me get this person!”

“Well, considering you’re  _ the  _ Hope Mikaelson, lacrosse superstar and all, I’m sure it won’t be hard,” Josie said, realising that whenever she spoke to Hope she couldn’t stop smiling and her heartbeat would always be thumping in her ears. “But, of course, I’ll help you.”

“Really?” Hope gasped, jumping up from her chair for extra effect. “This honestly means the world to me, I can’t believe that you’ll help me get Landon!”

Josie’s mouth dropped open before immediately pursing her lips into a firm line when she realised that that was the reaction Hope wanted. 

“Interesting… Landon? I mean… no offence Hope but… really?” 

“Now why would I lie?” Hope smirked. 

“Well, each to their own but uh… would you care to enlighten me on what makes him so… appealing to you?” Josie murmured, not liking the jealous green that dripped from her voice regardless of the fact that Hope was kidding. 

“Hm, well firstly it’s the fact that he just won’t stop staring at me, it’s so Edward Cullen-like and who wouldn’t swoon at that.”

“Mhm.” Josie quickly remembering Hope complaining about how much she hated Twilight and how Edward being incredibly creepy was not at all endearing (which resulted in Lizzie threatening to murder Hope in her sleep). 

“Oh and don’t even get me started on the fact that he can’t throw a punch to save his life. He’s like some kind of fragile bird. You know, I’m  _ so _ not into people who could easily lift me over their shoulders, in fact, lacrosse players are a  _ huge _ turn off for me.”

“I see. Well, I’ll leave you to it.” Josie huffed and Hope burst out laughing. 

To which Josie responded by ending the call.

Seconds later Josie received about 10 texts from Hope. 

**Hope:** _ Are you serious right now?  _

**Hope:** _ Jo come on! You’re seriously not going to answer my calls? _

**Hope:** _ Fine, I guess you’re certainly not getting laid tonight. _

Read at 5:45 pm

**Hope:** _ Really? Still nothing? I was kidding!!! _

**Hope:** _ Jo … please?  _

**Hope:** _ You know no one could ever fuck me as well as you do.  _

With that Josie quickly sent a message to Lizzie asking her to stay at MG’s tonight … and for the rest of the afternoon before calling Hope. 

“Meet me at the entrance hall of my school in 20 minutes and bring a change of clothes,” Josie stated and she could hear the smirk on Hope’s face. 

“Bossy.” Hope replied, but it really meant ‘see you soon’. 

//

Josie softly hummed to herself as she gently traced patterns and drawings into Hope’s skin, the auburn-haired girl currently lying asleep on her chest, arms wrapped tightly around her and eyes closed. Josie couldn’t help but fall in love with Hope more and more during moments like these - where the world is at peace and the crinkle between Hope’s eyebrows fades away. 

Josie smiled to herself as Hope nuzzled closer, the shift of her body causing the sheets to slide down her body and thus allowing Josie to let her hand drift lower down the pale skin of Hope’s back. 

“Hope,” she whispered, breath tickling Hope’s eyelashes as the blue-eyed girl mumbled in her sleep. “Hope, baby, we have to get up soon if we’re going to go to the party.” 

“Screw the party, in fact, screw me instead,” Hope grunted, tightening her hold on the younger girl and causing Josie to laugh. 

“As much as I’d love to, we have people who would hate for us to be absent,” Josie states, beginning to wriggle out of Hope’s grasp. The auburn-haired girl grunted again at that before quickly pulling Josie down and rolling them over so she had the other girl pinned under her. 

Josie let out a small squeal before her hands, on pure muscle memory alone, grasped Hope’s hips and pulled her down towards her. 

Hope’s eyes danced and flickered with light before her, the crashing of blue waves paling in comparison to the ocean that resided in the other girl’s eyes to Josie. The brunette let a small smile pull at her lips as her hand reached up, stroking the other girl’s cheek tenderly, sighing in content at the way Hope leaned into her touch, almost as if she was melting into her. 

“Sometimes I wish the world was just you and me.” Josie hummed softly, the shorter girl’s eyes flickering momentarily into a look that Josie couldn’t quite decipher before returning to the soft gaze Hope always met her eyes with. 

A lot of the time Josie liked to tell herself that it just might be love, but that would be wishful thinking and Josie couldn’t afford such moments of selfishness, in which she imagines that the girl she loves, loves her back.

“Say the word and it is.” Hope whispers.

“What does that entail, Miss Mikaelson?” Josie giggles, her heart skipping a beat at the quirk of Hope’s eyebrows and the tiny smirk on her face. 

“It means,” she starts, reaching out to tuck a lock of brown hair behind the other girl’s ear, “that all you have to do is say the word and it’s just you and me, your bed here is our little world, whether you like it or not.” Josie then grinned, wrapping her arms around the shorter girl’s neck and pulling her in close. 

“Hm, a tempting offer,” Josie muses, tilting her head side to side as if considering her proposition, “but I think I’d rather live in a world that also includes our friends... and this bed definitely isn’t big enough for us, MG and Lizzie on movie nights - let alone all of those other hooligans.” 

The blue-eyed girl laughs in response, laugh full and bright in the way that makes warmth swell in Josie’s chest, making her feel consumed by all things Hope Mikaelson.

And, for a minute, it really does feel like love. 

//

“You’re distracting.” Hope mumbles as she scribbled down another formula onto her physics worksheet. 

“I didn’t say anything.” Josie pouts, her eyebrows knitting together. “Plus, _ you’re _ the one who insisted we study together.” She smirked, throwing a crumpled up sticky note as Hope’s face, it hit her square on the forehead. 

The girl finally looked up, feigning shock on her face. 

“I’m incredibly sorry, it’s not my fault that my fake girlfriend looks good in her school uniform.” She huffs to which Josie rolls her eyes in response, tapping Hope’s hand with her pen. 

“Get back to work, can’t have the Mikaelson Academy’s star player falling behind,” Josie said pointedly, Hope nodding as she put her head back down, finishing off the final 7 mark question on her worksheet. “Plus, if you finish all your homework, I promise you’ll get an exclusive look at what’s underneath the uniform.”

Hope chokes on the water she’s just started sipping. 

“Are you trying to seduce me, Miss Saltzman?” Hope says after recovering.

“Me? A seductress?” Josie frowns, her lips turning down into a pout, however, this does not distract from the way her pen lifts the hem of Hope’s skirt. “You must be out of your mind, Miss Mikaelson.” She whispers before pulling the pen away just as it brushes the blue-eyed girl’s inner thigh. 

Hope finishes her maths homework in under an hour. 

//

“Alright girls, grapevine, let’s go.” Wendy barked, swinging her lacrosse stick so it sat bridged across her shoulders. A few girls let out a slight grunt at that, already sweating in the Virginia heat as they ran through a seemingly never-ending lacrosse warm-up. “2-minute break and then we’re doing drills.” 

Josie ran a hand across her forehead, letting out a sigh as she slumped on the ground, head hanging between her knees and hands clasping behind her neck. 

“Come on, Saltzman, don’t you want to beat your girlfriend at the opening game?” Jade smirked, kicking the other girl’s foot. 

Josie looked up and rolled her eyes at her captain.

“Shut up, Lewis.” Josie murmured, Jade, letting out a laugh as she stuck out a hand towards her which Josie gladly accepted, letting the blonde pull her up. 

“How’s your girlfriend anyway?” Jade teased as she scooped up a yellow ball, cradling it over her shoulder in a swift motion and nodding her head towards Josie’s discarded stick that was practically backing in the Virginia heat. 

“Fake girlfriend.” Josie corrected, trying to hide the bitterness in her voice as she picked up her stick, the metal of it hot against her bare palms. 

“And that still doesn’t bother you?” Jade hums, tossing the ball towards her in an overarm motion and taking a few steps back. “You two are basically already dating, I don’t see why you two don’t just make it official.”

Josie caught the ball, cradling it across her face and pausing before pursing her lips. “It’s complicated.” 

“Doesn’t seem complicated.” 

“Yeah? How does it seem to you?” Josie asked, no anger behind her voice, simply curiosity. 

“It seems like two people who won't discuss their feelings for fear of losing each other,” Jade says pointedly and Josie feels her heart stutter at that. “From your wide eyes and blank expression I’m guessing I nailed it on the head.” The blonde smirks, batting Josie’s ankles with her stick after walking over. 

“I - I just… I don’t know really, Jade.” Josie sighed. “I practically poured my heart out to her during the last week of summer and I could  _ not _ have been more obvious but she just … What if she doesn’t feel the same?” 

Jade let out a loud burst of laughter at that, holding up her hand to silence Josie.

“Hold on, hold on,” the blonde interrupted, shaking her hands to stop the brunette. “Just give me a - YO! KYM, THROW ME MY WATER BOTTLE! I NEED TO DO A SPIT TAKE!” Josie rolled her eyes at her friend’s dramatic reaction. “OH YEAH, SALTZMAN’S BEING A  _ HUGE _ DUMBA -”

“Okay, okay,” Josie hissed, waving Kym away who simply laughed at the interaction. “Would you  _ pipe down _ .” She borderline growled, kicking dirt up in Jade’s direction. 

“Why? Afraid your girlfriend’s developed enhanced hearing?” The blonde teased. 

“Again - not my girlfriend.” Josie countered. 

“In all seriousness though … tell her how you feel. Keeping feelings buried down is no use,” Jade explains before pausing, “especially when that girl looks at you the way Hope does.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Josie, are you blind? You  _ clearly _ haven’t noticed the way Hope looks at you - you can’t fake that.” 

Josie sighs again. 

“Take it from a girl who acted on her feelings too late,” Jade said, a small sad smile on her face, “tell her how you feel.”

Josie furrowed her eyebrows as her heartstrings tugged, knowing exactly what Jade was referring to. 

“Jade…”

“Don’t make it weird, Saltzman.” She warned her voice only half-serious. Josie smiled at that, hands tightly gripping her stick before she gave Jade a quick hug. 

“Thank you.” She mumbled and Jade shrugged.

“You’re one of my best friends, Joz… just, uh, don’t tell Wendy that.” 

Josie laughed. “I’ll try to take your advice… but we’re  _ just friends _ .” 

“Oh yeah, because  _ I  _ like to come to my rival school’s lacrosse practice just to see my  _ friend _ .” Jade nods, pursing her lips and nodding.

“What are you on -”

“Looking good, Lewis,” a voice pipes up from behind the brunette, “I’d almost say I’m nervous.” Alyssa Chang, this year’s captain of the Mikaelson Academy’s first team smirks as she strolls onto the field. 

The girl herself is all half-hearted intimidation and smirks as she crosses her arms and places her sunglasses on her forehead. 

“You should be nervous, Chang.” Wendy pipes up, the threat only being half-serious as all of them were friends. “We’re going to kick your ass.” She states and Alyssa laughs. 

It’s only then that Josie realises the captain is flanked by three other players from the academy: Penelope, Maya and -

“Hey, Jo.” Hope smiles, walking over to her fake girlfriend as Alyssa, Wendy and Jade start talking and Maya and Penelope head over towards the rest of the Salvatore team.

Josie grins, dropping her stick and throwing herself into the other girl’s arms. 

Hope lets out a small “oof” before grinning and hugging the other girl back. 

“I missed you,” Josie mumbled, having not seen the other girl for about a week. 

“Missed you too, baby.” Hope smiled, Josie’s heart fluttering in response as she placed a tender kiss on her neck. 

“STOP FONDLING MY SISTER IN PUBLIC, MIKAELSON.”

//

Josie looked at herself in the mirror as she hummed, looking herself up and down. Lizzie had spent half the evening helping Josie pick out her modest outfit of a lace camisole and mom jeans and she had to hand it to her twin. The brunette had also allowed her twin to style her hair, the blonde grinning in delight as she styled Josie’s wavy chocolate brown hair into a half-up half-down look, two locks of hair framing her face and attaching a butterfly hair clip to the back of her head. 

“Jo, come here, you’re going to mess up my best work with how much you keep playing with your hair.” Lizzie tutted, beckoning her twin over. Josie rolled her eyes, turning and folding her arms across her chest. 

“Sorry Liz,” Josie hummed, plopping down at her sister’s feet as Lizzie touched up her eye shadow. 

“Is a certain auburn-haired lacrosse player torturing your pretty little brain?” Lizzie asked innocently, Josie slapping her leg in response. 

“First of all my brain isn’t small -”

“Your geography test for finals last year says otherwise…”

“Says the twin who barely passed her math paper.” 

“I think knowing state capitals play a much more important role in our lives than trigonometry,” Lizzie muttered. 

“This is besides the point, Hope and I are just friends.”

“You’re not Egyptian, Jo, stop being the queen of de-Nile.” 

“You come up with that one yourself?” 

Josie promptly received a kick in the shins from her sister as a result.

“Lizzie!” Josie gasped and the blonde smirked. 

“For two ‘friends’ you too have too much sexual tension for it to be healthy.” The taller girl states plainly as she shut her eyeshadow case, allowing it to fall beside her on her bed as she stood up. 

The blonde then strutted over to the mirror Josie stood at 20 seconds prior and gazed at herself. 

“How do I look?” She asks, not bothering to check if her twin was actually paying attention. “I want to look sort of Carrie-Bradshaw-chic but still keep it humble enough for a high school kegger, you know?” She sighed, turning to face the other girl that was now sat cross-legged on the floor, eyebrows scrunched and lips pouted. 

“What’s with the Marley and Me face, Josette.” Lizzie sighed. “I’ve made you watch Sex and the City too many times for that reference to go over your head.” 

“Nothing,” Josie murmured, standing up and dusting off her jeans, “it’s just… what if she finds someone else?”

Lizzie’s expression immediately softens as she gazes at her twin. Before the blonde can even start to answer there’s a sharp knock on their door, causing the taller twin to groan and stomp over to the door. 

“MG I told you that I would meet you -” Lizzie grumbled, pulling the door open to find Hope with her hand raised, looking as if she was about to knock. “Well, speak of the devil and she’ll come.” She says, an amused smirk on her face. 

“Pardon?” Hope frowns and Lizzie rolls her eyes. 

“Remind me again, Josette, why you decided to sleep with  _ her  _ out of all of the other under 18 lacrosse players.” The blonde sighs, Josie rolling her eyes and tugging her twin away from the door.

“Hi, Hope.” Josie smiles once her fake girlfriend is in view before her the grip she has on the door tightens. 

Hope was dressed in a pair of tight black skinny jeans and a long-sleeved maroon ribbed cinched front top that fitted her just perfectly, showing off the perfect amount of cleavage. The auburn-haired girl herself had wide eyes and she took in Josie’s look, causing the brunette to blush and turn shy under her gaze.

“You look gorgeous.” Hope breathed out after a minute. “I-I mean you  _ always _ look gorgeous but uh -”

“Your guard dog _clearly_ has a way with words, Jo. You really know how to pick them.” Lizzie snarked, the brunette turned around furiously to glare at her sister. 

“You look lovely too, Liz.” Hope smiles, rolling her eyes. “Tell me, does that tongue of yours do more than just fire off witty quips? My experience with a Saltzman girl’s tongue has alluded towards Saltzmans having many talents.” 

“ _ Please _ do not discuss your sex life with my baby sister in front of me.” Lizzie shudders. 

“Lizzie, you’re younger than me,” Josie says pointedly. 

“Whatever, I’m off to meet MG. See you at the party, love birds.” She sings, pushing past her twin and now best friend and struts down the corridor. 

Josie sighs, pressing her forehead against the door. 

“You ready?” Hope asks a smile on her face and Josie peels herself away from the door to offer her another smile. 

“Mhm, you staying over tonight?” Josie asked as she shut her door. 

“If Lizzie allows it,” Hope smirked, holding out her hand to the taller girl and tilting her head down the corridor. “Come on, I want a chance to show off my hot fake girlfriend.” 

“What a coincidence! Same here.” Josie grins, grabbing Hope’s hand easily.

“My girlfriend’s hotter than yours though.” Hope volleyballs back. 

“I highly doubt it.” Josie whispers, nipping Hope’s ear and strutting off, pulling the shorter girl behind her as she went.

“See, you can’t say that and then do  _ that _ ,” Hope huffs, stumbling to keep up and muttering about Josie’s long legs. “They completely contradict one another.” She states plainly.

“Gosh, I’m sleeping with a nerd.” Josie murmurs as she continues to drag Hope to the old mill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> Sorry, it's been ages since my last update, I've had deadlines and school and all kinds of chaos in my life. The next chapter will be the party at the old mill because I've been itching to write a chapter like that. FYI I'm a lot more active and vocal on my Instagram so come say hi! 
> 
> I'd also like to take this time to draw attention to the situation in the US to do with the Black Lives Matter protests as well as the unjust murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and countless other black people. Please sign petitions and donate if you can and just use your voice even if its to bring focus towards people better educated on a subject like this. 
> 
> Here's a link to a google doc that can help you get both involved and informed: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-0KC83vYfVQ-2freQveH43PWxuab2uWDEGolzrNoIks/mobilebasic
> 
> If you're going to protests or anything please stay safe! Stay healthy everyone as well, please don't forget that there's still a global pandemic. 
> 
> Also, on a lighter note, happy pride month!!


	9. I have no clue what you’re talking about

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What’s it like,” Landon said suddenly, reaching out to grab her wrist, the Old Mill seemed a million miles away as Josie snatched her hand back as if she’d been burned from his touch. The brunette ran a hand through her hair, piercing daggers at the curly-haired boy who currently stood in her way with a pleading look. 
> 
> She arched an eyebrow, remembering how the last time he asked the question had led to where they were standing but he didn’t waver. 
> 
> She let out a disgruntled noise before folding her arms across her chest. “What’s what like?” She hissed out.

Josie, in her 17 years of life, has learned a lot of things. Some, such as extensive knowledge about the Harry Potter universe, are deemed as less important (subjectively) whereas others (how to drive a car, for example) are classified as of more importance and of more use in the world than the fact that ‘Dumbledore’ is an Old English word for ‘bumblebee’. 

And yet, to Josie, the seemingly most important thing that she has picked up in her life is how to read Hope Mikaelson. Having known the blue-eyed girl since she was about 10 years old would have caused many shrugs from outsiders because, of course, you’re going to know someone you’ve known almost half your life well. With context, though, the story changes. 

As Josie peers as the shorter girl next to her, eyes alight as they reflect the flames of the bonfire someone had decided to set up - because, you know, mixing drunk teenagers with fire  _ always _ turns out well - as a small smile etched its way onto her face. And as Hope turned her head, the girl seemed to move in slow motion and Josie felt her heart stutter in her chest.

She knew she wasn’t supposed to stare at Hope like this, especially with their unspoken ‘no romance’ clause that lay somewhere within their … strange arrangement. But when Hope practically glowed underneath the moonlight, pale skin glimmering under a thin sheet of sweat mixed with the shimmer of stars, who could help Josie or the way her heart leapt into her mouth when Hope smiled wider and nudged her with her shoulder. 

The heavy thrum of some bass boosted songs echoed throughout the Old Mill in the back, Josie turning her head as she managed to make out the muffled lyrics of some pop song in the distance. She let her eyes quickly dart back towards the auburn-haired girl on her left, sensing the tension in her shoulders as she knew the girl wasn’t usually one for parties. Josie didn’t even have to think twice as she let her hand brush the other girl’s: a silent invitation for her to hold onto her hand. 

Josie felt the familiar burn of Hope’s eyes on her profile but she kept her eyes straight ahead, a smile adorning her features as she felt the shorter girl gently take her hand and intertwine their fingers. 

She can already start to hear the yells of her classmates as well as the sound of a glass bottle hitting the floor as she breaks out of this Hope-induced haze and the brunette can’t help but grin. She suddenly feels a flood of electricity in her veins as the lights of the Old Mill come back into focus and she gently squeezes Hope’s hand, the electricity reaching her fingertips when she squeezes her hand back. 

Josie sees a trail of red solo cups leading towards a keg stand which Jed had decided to take over by challenging practically anyone who walked within a 3-foot radius of him to some kind of drinking game. She rolls her eyes as the boy throws her a playful wink and nods towards the solo cup in his hand. 

“Come on, Saltzman.” He groans, shaking the cup and allowing the liquid to slosh around. Josie raises an eyebrow, eyes straying to pointedly look at half of the contents of the cup being on the floor. “Your girlfriend isn’t running off to join a travelling circus anytime soon, come and grab a beer.”

“Or you could be a good dog and bring it over.” Lizzie fired back, Josie suddenly remembering her sister’s presence at the bonfire circle. 

Jed offers her his middle finger dismissively, too lazy to volley a decent insult back. 

“I personally think I would be an amazing juggler,” Hope says, tilting her chin up as if to emphasise her point. 

“Hm, I always saw you as more of a trapeze artist.” Josie mused, thoughtfully stroking her chin. “I, on the other hand, would be a fantastic juggler.” She says definitely and Hope lets out a small chuckle. 

“Really? Taken one too many lacrosse balls to the head, Saltzman?” She asks before Hope raises her hand, thoughtlessly allowing her hand to graze Josie’s temple where a fading bruise lay from a rather straining practise a few days prior. 

Josie ignores the heat on her cheeks, blaming it instead on the bonfire and not the way Hope's thumb swipes gently across her cheekbones, fingers drumming against her temple. 

“Mm, you’ll have to blame Jade for those.” Josie smiles, finding herself leaning into Hope’s touch. Hope’s eyes glimmer in the firelight, long eyelashes fluttering against her skin and Josie’s heart is pounding in her ears. Hope’s pale cheeks are littered with freckles from her various afternoon practice sessions and her hair has gotten slightly lighter over the summer and Josie thinks she looks utterly gorgeous. 

“Don’t blame me for your lack of reflexes, Saltzman.” Jade snorts, shoving Josie’s shoulder as she joins their circle of friends around the fire. 

Josie sticks her tongue out at her, ignoring the way her heart sank when Hope lowered her hand from her face. 

“Come on, MG,” Lizzie said abruptly, standing up with her boyfriend in tow. “The dance floor looks dead.” The boy happily obliged, quickening his pace to keep up with the long-legged girl.

Following that, the rest of the group began to peel away from the fire in favour of dancing or getting another drink or both in reverse order. 

The press of Hope’s shoulder against hers suddenly left when the auburn-haired girl stood up, sticking out a hand towards Josie. 

“You’re not serious.” Josie giggled when Hope gestured towards where MG was currently teaching Landon, Rafael and Ethan how to do the macarena to some Calvin Harris song. “Am I dreaming or something?”

Hope rolled her eyes but stuck her hand out again more firmly. “Come on, Jo. Don’t you want to dance.”

“I’d love to but I’d have thought you’d prefer to sit it out?” Josie offered as an explanation. “I mean, you don’t seem like the dancing type.”

“I’ll have you know that my aunt taught me to waltz when I was 7.”

Josie giggled again, starting to stand up. “A waltz, Miss Mikaelson, is very different from that.” She smiled, gesturing towards the crowd of drunk teenagers moving at different rhythms to the song playing. “Plus, aren’t you known as ‘Miss Broody’.”

“I disposed of that title a while ago.” Hope huffed jokingly, clasping Josie’s hand with hers. “I decided it was time to pass the baton over to an even moodier looking freshman.”

“Oh my god, you abdicated your throne.” Josie gasps.

“Anyway, I don’t know if you remember the night of the nationals party but we danced for ages then.” 

_ ‘I don’t think I’ll  _ ever  _ forget that night, even if I wanted to.’  _ Josie thought to herself before offering a smile and playful roll of her eyes. “Of course I do, you even danced through some shitty Justin Bieber trap remix, I was very impressed.”

“Alright, so are we going to talk all night or are we going to dance?” Hope said and Josie, instead of an answer, tightened her grip on the shorter girl’s hand and pulled her into the warmth of the Old Mill. 

After a cup of liquid courage each, Josie and Hope both slip into the crowd of teenagers in search of their friends. They find MG in the middle of a backflip, the other guys (sans Kaleb who can actually dance) bobbing behind him awkwardly and cheering in response to his various tricks. 

Before Josie knows it, Hope has an arm around her waist, her breath hot against her cheek and Josie could not be happier about her choice to wear converse to the party instead of heels because with Hope at a more equal height to her, her heart is beating loud in her ears. 

As Conan Gray’s ‘Wish You Were Sober’ filtered through Kaleb’s giant speakers, Josie has a spike of courage, turning Hope to face her as she begins to nod her head to the beat. Hope quickly gets the message, a playful smile on her face as she tries to move her body in tandem with hers. 

Josie can’t help but chuckle at the girl, apparently, those waltz lessons hadn’t prepared Hope (when she was less sober and, therefore, stiffer) for this kind of scenario. Josie giggled before reaching out and placing her hands on Hope’s hips, attempting to get her into a matching rhythm with her own body. 

“Relax, baby,” Josie says easily, enjoying the way Hope’s cheeks burn and her pupils dilate ever so slightly. Josie knows there’s nothing romantic behind it, it’s just Hope’s unconscious reaction due to their agreement.

There’s no motive, it’s just them and it’s easy and simple and a wordless agreement. No romance. And Josie’s  _ fine _ with that.

So what if her definition of ‘fine’ is akin to that of Ross Geller’s after finding out Joey and Rachel were together. 

Whatever, she’s fine.

And suddenly she’s not fine at all because Hope is finally settling into a groove as the heavy beats of some Chase Atlantic song replace the more upbeat one that played prior. Josie’s mouth grows dry as Hope looks up at her through her eyelashes, blue eyes dark and an easy smile on her face. 

She gulps when Hope throws her head back slightly to get her hair out of her face and feels her knees start to shake when Hope leans in closer. Their noses are barely brushing and their lips are inches apart and Josie hasn’t wanted to kiss anyone more than she wants to kiss Hope right now. 

In fact, in general, she doesn’t think she’s been as attracted to anyone as she is to Hope. Even Jade who she had a solid crush on for two years or Rafael with his boyish smile and broad shoulders. 

At this moment Josie starts to compare Hope to everyone she’s ever been remotely attracted to and finds that, in comparison, no one has made her heartbeat as fast.

“Jo,” Hope whispers against her lips, dragging her out of her head. “Are you okay?” She asks and Josie blinks. 

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.” She insists and god, Hope should wear low cut tops more often even if it may be damaging towards Josie’s ability to think. 

Hope offers her an uncertain look, her hand reaching up to cup Josie’s jaw. 

“Are you thinking some big thoughts?” She asks and Josie shrugs.

“‘Big’ is subjective.” She offers in lieu of an answer. 

“Don’t get trapped in your own head.” Hope smiles, tilting up on her tiptoes: a silent request for a kiss. 

“I won’t,” She promises. “Either way, I know you wouldn’t hesitate to dive in there to drag me out.”

“You’d do the same for me.”

“Always.”

//

“Alright nerds,” Lizzie says in the form of a greeting as she places a bottle in the centre of a circle. 

“We’re not 11, Saltzman, there’s no way you’re forcing us to play spin the bottle.” Alyssa Chang groans. 

“First of all Alyssa, you came into Stallions territory by choice so we play by Stallion rules -”

“Which means Lizzie’s rules,” Josie whispers to Hope. 

“ - and, second of all, we’re playing truth or dare instead.” 

“Even worse.” Alyssa huffs but makes no effort to leave. 

“Rules are simple: we spin the bottle for the first round to pick our first victim who  _ I _ will ask a question, from then on it’s whoever was picked who gets to pick their next victim et cetera,” Lizzie stated firmly as if laying out the plans to an army preparing for battle rather than a circle of tipsy teenagers. “If you pass on the truth you have to drink half a beer and if you pass on a dare you have to chug a cup of Jed’s weird concoction.” 

This was shortly followed by a loud holler from Jed who tapped the bowl of his suspicious-looking ‘punch’ - yeah, Josie wasn’t planning on going within 2 feet of that. 

“And, no Sebastian, we are  _ not _ playing the version where people have to strip when they pass,” Lizzie concluded before sitting down. 

The boy in question grumbled something about ‘bloody Americans’ before taking a sip of his beer and crossing his arms across his chest. 

Josie’s eyes flitted towards the auburn-haired girl on her right, feeling this tightness in her chest. There was some sort of weird inkling in the back of her head trying to tell her something but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what exactly 

Her eyes traced down the blue-eyed girl’s profile, scanning for what could be amiss. A small foolish part of her heart throbbed for a hint of apprehension towards this game, perhaps a feeling akin to what Josie felt in the pit of her stomach. 

Josie had learned to read Hope Mikaelson almost perfectly over the months she had been friends with her, and yet at this moment, the contents of this book seemed to be written in Latin as she couldn’t decipher a single word. 

The sound of a groan cut off her thoughts as she brought her eyes back to the game. The bottle that Lizzie had spun decided the game’s first victim would be Jade. 

“Well, well, well, Miss Jade Lewis is our first vic -”

“Oh shut it, Jed, you’re not a baseball game commentator. I pick truth” Jade grumbled, folding her arms and shooting Lizzie a prompting look.

Her twin ponders for a minute before deciding on something to get the ball rolling.

“Your best hook-up.” She stated. “And don’t be afraid to leave out the details.”

Wendy lets out a fake gagging noise from beside her friend, causing Jade to shove her in response. Josie doesn’t miss the way her eyes flicker around the circle, pausing for a fraction of a second on -

“Come on, we don’t have all night.” Kaleb pipes up, drumming his fingers on the ground and toeing the line between tipsy and drunk.

“This girl earlier this year probably.” Jade decided on. “It was a one-time thing and it barely progressed any further but she was my best hook-up.” 

“Does she go to Salvatore?” Kaitlyn asked, a curious smirk on her face. 

“One question per round, sweetie.” Jade winked, leaning back on her palms. “Jed, truth or dare.”

The boy scoffed, puffing out his chest. “Dare.” He grinned that boyishly charming grin of hers that Josie couldn’t help but roll her eyes at. “Gotta show I’m the Alpha.”

“Okay Mr Alpha, go do a handstand for the next 3 rounds against that wall.” Jade drawled out lazily. 

“No problem.” Jed scoffed, waltzing over to the wall adjacent to him. 

“How long do you think he’ll last.” Hope murmured, leaning close to Josie. Josie pursed her lips in thought.

“30 seconds, he’s drunk too much of that toxic waste he calls ‘juice’ to not be running for the nearest tree whilst sitting down, let alone doing a handstand.” She states plainly and Hope lets out a small chuckle. 

“As Jed is currently occupied the turn goes to Ethan.” Lizzie declares and the boy in question leans forward to pick out his victim. 

“Hm, Landon, truth or dare.” He says easily, of course deciding to pick on the puny boy. 

The curly-haired boy shifts under the attention and Josie feels flames grow inside her stomach. She hadn’t missed the way his eyes kept darting over to Hope the whole night, even though she had turned him down three times now or the fact that she had been practically hanging off of Josie the entire night. 

“Truth?” He said, eyes darting around the room before landing on (you guessed it) Hope, causing him to straighten his back slightly despite him holding one knee to his chest. In some sort of spark of possessiveness Josie grit her teeth, shifting closer to Hope so their thighs were touching now. 

_ ‘What are you doing?’ _ Josie scolded herself as Ethan pondered to himself.  _ ‘Hope is not some object that belongs to you, she’s a  _ person _. Plus, you’re not even dating for real and -’ _

The tension rolled immediately off of Josie when she felt the weight of Hope’s head on her shoulder, the auburn-haired girl letting out a pleased hum as she linked arms with the brunette. 

“Sorry,” she whispered, “you’re just warm and you looked uncomfortable. We can go if you want.”

“I’m fine,” Josie reassured. “I’m just a little tired.” She said, offering a small smile. Hope raised an eyebrow but didn’t press any further.

“Considering you never shut up about this mystery girl you’re so madly in love with,” Ethan started, smirking to himself and clearly unaware of the situation, “I have one question for you: is she in this circle?” He asked and Josie clenched her jaw.

The lanky boy didn’t hesitate to stare directly at the girl next to her and gulped loudly. “Yes.” He answered firmly.

Josie felt her fists ball up at her sides as she heard Penelope let out a loud snort and Maya scoff to herself. 

Ethan’s eyes went wide as he realised his mistake, looking over at Josie and shooting her an apologetic look. The brunette, however, was too focused on constructing various ways to kill Landon though to notice. A soothing hand placing itself over hers that made her quickly realise that all eyes were on her and her fake-girlfriend and was shortly followed with Josie visibly relaxing as she felt Hope interlace their fingers and squeeze gently.

“Ignore him, he’s being annoying on purpose,” Hope mumbled, pressing a kiss against Josie’s temple, allowing her forehead to rest there for a beat before turning back to the group. 

Josie took in the looks of her friends, Lizzie looked equally angry whilst MG, Rafael and Kaleb both had matching faces of exasperation. Ethan, however, still looked apologetic as ever, Josie shooting him a small smile to reassure him. 

“Well,” Alyssa piped up, breaking the awkward silence that had settled amongst the group. “That was pathetic.” She scoffed.

Landon scrunched up his face, looking like a toddler about to throw a fit and Josie had to bite back a laugh. Alyssa might be a bitch sometimes but her quips were funny when they had an element of truth to them … also when they were directed towards Landon, that factor never hurt. 

As expected, Jed had broken into a dead sprint for the nearest tree about 5 seconds after Landon’s confession. He came back with a much paler face but told everyone that he hadn’t chundered quite yet this evening, causing the group to all holler in praise as he sat down, crossing his arms triumphantly.

“Rafael, truth or dare?” Landon asks his brother.

“Dare.” He answers easily before pausing. “Please don’t make it a weird one.” Wendy scoffs at this, leaning her head on Kaitlyn’s shoulder as she does so. 

“I dare you to kiss the hottest person in the room!” Landon says, smiling brightly as if he had just come up with the smartest dare ever that would reveal all his secrets subsequently. Kaleb groaned and Alyssa muttered something about a waste of a turn.

Rafael quirks an eyebrow before turning and kissing Jed briefly. “That's the best you got, Lan?” 

“Of course he’d choose his boyfriend, Frodo.” Lizzie sighed, pressing the heel of her palm into her forehead. 

“Kaleb, truth or dare?” Rafael interrupted before the argument could escalate and Josie sent him an appreciative smile that he managed to catch and return with ease. 

“Truth, and make it a good one.” He smirks. 

“Body count?” He asks and she can almost hear Hope rolling her eyes.

“I dunno, maybe 4?” He shrugs and Rafael nods in acceptance.

“Kaitlyn, truth or dare?”

“Dare.” She grins.

“Considering we’ve all seen the tension between them: I dare you to kiss Wendy.” He smirks and the raven-haired girl begins to blush deeply. She looks over at Wendy for confirmation and when the brunette offers her a reassuring smile she sits up on her knees and kisses her lightly.

Josie grins at this, truly happy for her friend at that moment. 

The game continued and several things happened including MG doing three backflips in a row and almost falling on the third due to his tipsy state, Alyssa walking on her hands around the circle, Wendy revealing her body count and Ethan doing 30 push-ups whilst Penelope sat on his back. 

“Jade, truth or dare?” Penelope asked after confirming that her flexibility was due to the fact that she was a ballerina age 5 to 10. 

“Truth.” She hummed.

“Was your best hook-up someone in this circle?” 

Jade paused, looking at the ground and pursing her lips. “Yeah.” She said after a beat, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. 

A few eyes began to dart around at this.

“Hope, truth or dare,” Jade said, trying to divert the attention on her. 

“Truth.” 

“Is it true you’re classically trained on the violin?” She asks and Hope raises an eyebrow. “You look like you’ve got nimble fingers.” She shrugs.

“I am not, but I  _ am _ on the piano.” She says and Jade lets out a small ‘ah’ at that. 

The group were all past tipsy at this point and Josie could tell from the way most of them began to slur their words. Kaitlyn and Alyssa had both decided to head back home in the midst of this, apparently, Kaitlyn’s brother had kindly offered to carpool them home and Sebastian had long since disappeared from the game wordlessly. Ethan, Maya and Penelope had all decided to leave after 3 more rounds or so and Jed and Kaleb began to start picking up the keg. 

Josie felt herself zone-out as Hope asked Lizzie a question, being too distracted with the smell of Hope’s coconut shampoo to focus on anything else.

“Josie, truth or -”

“Truth,” Josie answered her sister quickly.

“Boo, you’re no fun,” Lizzie grumbled, taking a moment to think. 

Just as the blonde had managed to come up with a question Landon had decided to pipe up.

“What’s having sex with Hope like?” Landon interrupted and Josie felt startled. She felt Hope’s grip on her arm tighten as she stared blankly at the boy.

“Dude, what the fuck?” Maya said, furrowing his brow as she shot the boy a disgusted look. 

“No, no, I want to know,” Landon said, beginning to stand up, a beer bottle dangling dangerously from his fingers. “Because, of all people, she decided to have sex with _ you _ .” 

“Landon, sit down,” Hope grunted and Josie felt the rage seeping off of her. 

“Maybe we should ask you, then, Hope. What makes Josie so special that you would give your virginity to her of all people. She’s not worth the time.” 

“Leave her out of this,” Josie said, crossing her arms over her chest and standing up to meet his gaze. 

“Okay, okay, let’s calm down here,” Ethan said, standing up - always the peacekeeper. “Kirby, I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you right now but you are  _ way _ out of line.” He stated firmly, holding Landon away by the scruff of his shirt. 

“Ethan, I got him, don’t worry.” Rafael interrupted, frowning at his brother as he led him away from the group, muttering about how idiotic he was behaving. The taller boy stopped to turn around and shoot Josie an apologetic look. Josie pursed her lips at him in response as her shoulders sagged. The rest of the group had the decency to avert their eyes and stare at the ground instead, talking quietly amongst themselves. 

“Hey,” Ethan said, placing a gentle hand on Josie’s shoulder, “you alright?” He asked.

“Been better I guess.” Josie huffed and he offered her a sad smile. 

“He was an asshole for saying all of that, Josie.” He stated firmly. “He’s just like that because -”

“He’s in love with Hope.” Josie finishes easily, having heard this from Rafael several times before when Landon acted out. “Yeah, I know.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better, I would have happily lost my V-Card to you.” He smiles and Josie chuckles, shaking her head. 

“Thanks, Ethan.” She rolls her eyes and he sends her a playful wink.

Just as she walks over to an apologetic looking Hope, Jed stops her by her arm.

“I can beat him up for you if you want.” He says, completely serious and Josie raises an eyebrow at him. “Seriously, I’d do it for free.” He insists, nodding with his words and Josie shakes her head. 

“Wow, my hero.” She drawls sarcastically, patting his shoulder. “Don’t do that though, he was just drunk.”

She eventually makes her way over to Hope after Lizzie had tackled her into a hug and had asked her if she was sure if she was okay for a solid 4 minutes. Hope looks up at her guilty but Josie shakes her head, wordlessly telling her that they should talk about it in private. Hope agrees silently but doesn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around Josie’s shoulders and her legs around her waist. Josie sighed as she buried her face in her friend’s shoulder, Hope sitting in her lap at this point and hugged her back just as tight.

“You know that I don’t regret that, right?” Hope whispers.

“I know… I don’t either. Not at all.”

Before either of them know it the game has managed to start up again and Hope slides out of Josie’s lap. 

“Jade, truth or dare?” Wendy asked and suddenly all eyes were back on the blonde who knew what was coming, letting out a sigh. 

“Dare.” She said, a few people letting out disappointed groans at that.

“Fine, I dare you to kiss your best hook-up.” Wendy countered and Jade’s eyes widened and her smirk fell off her face. 

The blonde began to reach towards the punchbowl before realising it was empty this far into the game. She looked up helplessly before sighing.

Before she knew it, Josie felt the press of Jade’s lip against her forehead, the blonde leaning down to kiss her gently.

A silence fell over the group as realisation set in.

“Seriously?” Penelope said, breaking the thick layer of tension that had settled over the group but Josie could only hear her heartbeat in her ears as well as the word ‘fuck’ constantly replaying over and over in her mind. 

She then realised that Hope’s warmth had disappeared from her side. 

“Jo,” the brunette immediately turned towards the blue-eyed girl who fixed her with a blank stare. “What is she talking about?” She said, voice barely above a whisper.

The realisation then set into Josie’s stomach as she slowly put together what Hope must be thinking. 

Josie and Hope had been each other’s firsts and, from that moment, the only people they had slept with as neither were interested in sleeping with anyone else. 

“No, no, Hope it wasn’t like that -”

“I have to go.” Hope murmured, standing up from the group and walking swiftly away. Josie immediately stood up and took off after her without a moment of hesitation.

“Hope!” She called out, weaving through the few people still left at the party who weren’t playing the stupid game that had gotten her into this mess. “Hope, wait!” She said, managing to catch up with the girl and stopping her from leaving.

“Hope, it’s not what you think at all.” Josie pleaded, clutching the shorter girl’s hand.

“It’s fine Josie, I don’t even care what you did or didn’t do with Jade. What I care about is that you lied to me.” Hope said, voice rising an octave as she spun around to face Josie. The brunette then noticed the tear tracks down her cheeks and felt her hands shake in her grasp.

“Hope, I promise I didn’t lie to you. I didn’t, I swear.” She whispered, choosing not to try and step any closer to the other girl. “I would  _ never _ lie to you about something like that, you’re my best friend, Hope.”

“Well, you happened to forget to tell me that  _ anything _ happened between you and Jade at all past her previous crush confession at Nationals.” Hope spat and Josie felt frustration bubble up within her.

“Hope just listen to me!” Josie almost screamed, throat raw and eyes bleary with almost-tears. 

“Hope, there you are!” Josie immediately tenses are the voice.

“Right now? Are you kidding me?” She hisses at whatever deity is listening to her. 

Landon has managed to stumble back to the Old Mill and Hope fixes him with a glare and an unimpressed look.

“I don’t have time for this,” Hope muttered but Landon stood in front of her.

“I just wanted to tell you that if I was your boyfriend I would treat you so, so, so well. I’d love you no matter what, even if you broke up with me I’d still love you. And even if you broke up with me I would fight for you and make you change your mind.”

Hope fixed him with a look that lay between disgusted and speechless.

“What the hell is your problem?” Hope hissed before storming off. 

Josie remained rooted to the spot as she mulled over grabbing the nearest beer bottle and breaking it over Landon’s head.

Landon frowned as he watched her retreating form. “I thought what I said was romantic.” He murmured. 

“If a woman changes her mind, respect that decision you nonce.” Josie sputtered, shoving him out of the way and running in the direction Hope went.

“Hope!” Josie called out, running into the woods but it was too late. She couldn’t see the other girl anywhere, especially not this late at night. She sighed when she remembered she left her phone with the others and there was no way she could trek into the woods without some kind of light source to look for Hope.

Josie sighed as she slumped against a tree, defeated. 

“Is she gone?”

“Jesus, Landon!” Josie gasped, jumping in the air and almost smacking her head against a low hanging branch. 

“Sorry.” He murmurs.

“About what?” She says. “Scaring me or humiliating me?”

He shifts on his feet. “Both… I was an ass and I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Josie sighs. “I have to get back to my sister.” 

“What’s it like,” Landon said suddenly, reaching out to grab her wrist, the Old Mill seemed a million miles away as Josie snatched her hand back as if she’d been burned from his touch. The brunette ran a hand through her hair, piercing daggers at the curly-haired boy who currently stood in her way with a pleading look. 

She arched an eyebrow, remembering how the last time he asked the question had led to where they were standing but he didn’t waver. 

She let out a disgruntled noise before folding her arms across her chest. “What’s  _ what _ like?” She hissed out.

The boy dug his shoe into the ground, avoiding eye contact with her and glancing up at the trees that towered over her which only infuriated her more. She had always thought of Landon as sweet and friendly enough, but at this moment she had not felt more irked by a person than she did the floundering emu that stood in front of her. 

“Today, please?” She groaned after he opened his mouth and closed it for the billionth time. 

“Being loved by her!” He finally managed, his voice cracking at the edges. Josie raised her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes. 

“What are you talking -”

“Oh please,” he scoffed, throwing his arms upward as he stepped back from her further into the dark clutches of the woods around them. “Everyone can see it: she’s in love with you and you obviously love her back.”

Josie felt a wave of defensiveness wash over her. Though she was never one to outwardly wear her heart on her sleeve, her expressive pout was enough of a giveaway, but she never considered anyone ever finding out about her true feelings - besides Lizzie of course. 

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” Josie muttered, shoving past him to trek back to her room. 

“I’ve seen the way she looks at you,” Landon says, raising his voice once again. “It’s the way I’ve always wanted her to -” he pauses, his voice dripping with bitterness and desperation “- it’s how I’ve always wanted her to look at me.” He says after a long pause and Josie can’t help the pang of guilt she feels.  She wrinkled her nose and didn’t even want to imagine a world where Hope stooped so low as to date him before sighing to herself. 

“Trust me, Landon,” Josie says in a breath. “She doesn’t look at me in any special way.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I haven't updated in ages! I was really busy with all kinds of things and that's the worst excuse but my life is somewhat back to normal and I should be updating sort of regularly again! 
> 
> I suffered through writer's block for ages with this so I hope this is okay! Stay safe everyone, please wear a mask. Also, keep signing petitions! BLM isn't a trend!


	10. Someone has a favourite Saltzman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What!” Josie squeaked, turning towards her sister with bright red cheeks and wide eyes. The blonde carefully raised an eyebrow at that, Josie’s face turning even redder. “W-why on earth would - I, I mean … why would I find such a barbaric action attractive, I’m not… I mean, I’m not blind, she’s really really pretty and -
> 
> “Josette,” Lizzie interrupts quickly to spare her sister the embarrassment. “I was kidding, just teasing you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I've been watching a lot of anime recently?

Lizzie Saltzman was 13 years old when she first realised her sister was desperately, deeply and madly in love with Hope Mikaelson. Although the bruise under her sister’s eye (from a rogue lacrosse ball that had been thrown during the brawl against the Mikaelson academy’s U14 team) left the brunette vibrating with rage and pouting furiously in the car ride home, Lizzie didn’t fail to notice the blush on her cheeks later that night.

_ “I can’t believe she punched you!” Lizzie huffed, plopping down on the sofa next to her twin and shoving her spoon into the tub of ice cream that sat in Josie’s lap. “I mean, yeah we were all expecting a fight between you two eventually that game but we expected it to be verbal with a good shove at the most.” The blonde said around a mouthful of chocolate ice cream, her words muffled.  _

_ Josie nodded stiffly, shoving another spoonful into her mouth, eyes focused on the TV ahead of her.  _

_ The twins sat in silence for the next 10 minutes, taking turns shovelling ice cream into their mouths and watching Miss Congeniality in silence.  _

_ “I don’t even get why she hates me.” Josie burst out in the middle of Sandra Bullock’s water glass performance.  _

_ “Say it, don’t spray it,” Lizzie said, wrinkling her nose at the spots of chocolate that had now stained her twin’s jumper.  _

_ “I breathed in her direction and she decided that she hates my guts,” Josie scowled, wiping the back of her hand across her mouth. “I didn’t do anything to her!”  _

_ “Jo -” _

_ “In fact, I think she’s super cool!” Josie sputtered, Lizzie discreetly paused the movie as the brunette continued to ramble on; as invested as she wanted to be in her twin’s frustrations, it just so happened that she thought the plot of the movie wasn’t quite worth missing for it. “- if you think about it, imagine how unstoppable we would be if we were at the same school! We would never lose a single match! I was so excited to meet her and, of course, she decided to hate me before I even got a word out and -” _

_ “Josie -” _

_ “I mean, yeah, the fact that she knocked out 400 teeth is kind of intimidating but, if you think about it, it’s really cool and kind of -” _

_ “Hot?” Lizzie interrupted.  _

_ “What!” Josie squeaked, turning towards her sister with bright red cheeks and wide eyes. The blonde carefully raised an eyebrow at that, Josie’s face turning even redder. “W-why on earth would - I, I mean … why would I find such a barbaric action attractive, I’m not… I mean, I’m not blind, she’s really  _ really _ pretty and - _

_“Josette,” Lizzie interrupts quickly to spare her sister the embarrassment. “I was kidding, just teasing you.”_

_ Josie immediately shuts her mouth at that, pursing her lips. “Oh.” _

_ Lizzie presses her lips together and nods, studying her twin carefully.  _

Huh. 

_ She’s seen Josie with a crush before but … she’s never quite reacted to one this way before. Hatred or denial is not normally the thing her sister turns towards when she has a crush on someone.  _

_ Lizzie decides that she’s had enough of the awkward silence between them and leans over to snatch the ice cream from the shorter girl. “Also, stop letting it melt! I had to fight two 5-year-olds and a middle-aged woman for this pint of ice cream.” _

_ “That’s a bit dramatic,” Josie says but her voice sounds far away. _

_ “You okay, Jo?” Lizzie says, the spoon halfway to her mouth. The brunette silently nods and Lizzie chooses not to press; if her sister wants to tell her, she will. There’s no use in pestering it out of her.  _

It’s in that moment that Lizzie Saltzman unknowingly realised for the first time that Josie’s crush on Hope may run deeper than any ‘crush’ she’s had prior … or maybe will ever have. It’s at that moment when Lizzie first saw her sister slowly fall in love. 

_ Hey, I’m probably at lacrosse practise right now and, if I’m being honest, I rarely check my messages. Either way, leave a message or shoot me a text. Bye! _

The blonde quietly observes her sister as she sits hunched over, phone dangling carelessly from her fingertips and dried tear tracks on her cheeks. She shuts her eyes and burrows deeper into the pillows of her sister’s bed when Josie checks over her shoulder to see if her sister is still sleeping.

“Hey,” Josie’s voice is barely above a whisper and it cracks at the edges when she speaks. “It’s me again… Josie… well, who else would it be I’ve already left half a dozen messages.” Lizzie’s heart clenches at the broken tone of her sister’s voice as she lets out a shaky sigh. 

“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about last night. I’m so sorry for not leaving that situation as soon as it started and I’m sorry for not telling you about Jade and I’m sorry for not punching Landon in the face myself…” Lizzie doesn’t even need to crack an eye open to know Josie is worrying her bottom lip, a nervous tick she’s had since childhood. “Just… I… I’m sorry for hurting you. I didn’t mean to … I never wanted to hurt you, Hope.” Another shaky inhale. 

“I - Please let me explain myself, I know I’m asking for a lot and I can’t blame you if you never want to see me again. It’s just that … I can’t explain it to you over the phone; it doesn’t feel right doing it like this.” Josie pauses. “Please just listen to me, Hope.”

“I -” Lizzie holds her breath, waiting for the two words she knows are just dying to escape her twin’s mouth. She almost breaks her fake sleep to yank the phone from Josie’s hand and tell Hope herself that her twin is deeply and madly in love with her to the point that it’s sickening. “I just miss you.” Lizzie deflates, rolling her eyes at the pure stupidity of the girl she shared a womb with. Honestly, she doesn’t know how on Earth she ended up with Toph Beifong as a sister with how blind she is to Hope’s pathetic puppy eyes. 

“Call me back, please.” 

Lizzie allows her sister to wallow in silence before she starts to fake wake-up from her slumber. After tossing around for a bit and stretching under the covers, Lizzie lets out a very realistic (read: obviously fake) yawn and rubs her eyes for dramatic effect.

“Oh!” She gasps at the sight of her twin sitting up in bed. “I didn’t realise you were awake, Josette.”

The brunette turns her head, raising an eyebrow but choosing not to broach the subject of her sister listening in on her conversation. Honestly, Lizzie chooses to be glad about this, almost feeling a twinge of pride at how far her twin has come regarding questioning her motives.

Lizzie purses her lips at Josie’s silence, the other girl staring at the wall in front of her, phone placed in her lap face-up. She doesn’t ignore the way her eyes glance down every time the screen lights up or when Lizzie’s phone buzzes from across the room.

The blonde almost jumps when she reaches across to place a comforting hand on the other girl’s shoulder and her phone rings from across the room. She quickly stands up to go check who’s calling her, deciding not to point out how her twin scrambled to check her phone. 

Running a hand through her hair, Lizzie looks down at who’s calling her. 

“Hey MG.” She greets, feeling a smile stretch over her face as her boyfriend returns the greeting.

“Hey Liz,” she can hear the smile on his face. “How’s our patient doing?”

“Wednesday Addams has chosen to sulk over her feelings today, but otherwise she’s doing okay.” She shrugs, ignoring the indignant huff from across the room as well as the mumbles that follow. “However, we’re probably going to have a sister day if that’s alright?” She says, lowering her voice.

“Ah, gotcha.” MG replies and Lizzie’s heart warms at how she knows what he’ll do in response to that. “I’ll be over with the prescribed medication in half an hour or so.” He states and Lizzie grins. 

“Do I mention enough about how great of a boyfriend you are?”

“You could stand to say it a little more often.” He laughs and Lizzie rolls her eyes. 

“Oh, and could you drop it off at my mom’s? I’ll be dragging her over there soon.” Lizzie says the question is more of a command than anything else.

“You got it. Love you.”

“Love you too.” She replies easily, hanging up the phone and turning around swiftly. “Get up, Bridget Jones, we’re due for a tub of ice cream at mom’s.” She states plainly, waltzing over to her dresser to find some clothes.

“Can I wear sweatpants?” Josie asks, voice muffled by the pillow she’s lying face-down on. 

“As long as they’re not a hideous colour,” Lizzie replies, throwing a t-shirt at her sister. “Now, get up, we have to claim the Netflix before Stefan does with that weird interior design show he watches.” 

Josie mumbles something about Lizzie’s obsession with The Bachelor not being any kind of step-up from Property Brothers but slides out of bed, grabbing her wash bag and trudging towards the bathroom.

Lizzie proceeds to kindly allow Josie to play her music in the car and keeps her mouth shut at the sad music she plays. Although she does almost lose it when Josie plays ‘Betty’ by Taylor Swift for the 3rd time during their 15 minute car journey. 

The blonde twin kicks open the door to their mum’s house, ushering Josie inside as the smell of food wafts towards the front door. She exchanges a glance with her twin before they make a beeline for the kitchen. As soon as they enter the kitchen they find Stefan chopping up scallions and their mother holding a whisk in her hand. 

“Hi girls!” Their mother chirps at the sight of the twins, a bright smile on her face. “I thought you were with your dad today?” She asks, raising an eyebrow. 

“He was busy today but we made lunch plans with him next weekend,” Lizzie answers easily as Josie shuffles over to Caroline, dropping her chin on her shoulder. 

“Chocolate chip?” Josie asks and Caroline nods, studying the young girl’s face. She looks up wordlessly at her other daughter, eyes darting over to the brunette. 

Lizzie presses her lips together at Josie’s watchful eyes. 

“Jo, why don’t you help Stefan with the asparagus?” Caroline offers and Josie nods, standing up straight and walking over to her mother’s boyfriend who offers her a kind smile and the vegetable in question.

As soon as Bambi's eyes are diverted elsewhere, Lizzie gestures to her heart, making a straining motion with her hands. Her mother’s eyes dim visibly, lips forming an ‘o’ shape as she frowns, looking over at her other daughter pitifully. Lizzie follows her eyes, her heart picking up slightly at Josie’s small smile as Stefan talks to her. 

_ Well, at least we’re past the part where Bambi’s mother is shot _ . She thinks to herself at her sister’s mildly improved mood. 

_ At age 14 Lizzie doesn’t entirely know why her sister gets about 10 times more competitive whenever they play against the Mikaelson Academy. _

_ That’s a lie, she knows exactly why. The reason why Josie turns into ‘The Bride’ from Kill Bill when they play against the other school is currently spinning a lacrosse stick and doing a terrible job at hiding the fact that she’s staring at Josie.  _

_ “I can’t believe her!” Josie grunted, tugging at her hair as she paced back and forth. Lizzie sat with her legs crossed, an orange slice between her lips and only half-listening to her twin’s mental breakdown. So far she figured she’s got the gist of it: Hope did an illegal check when the referee was distracted and her sister’s bitter.  _

_ Her twin was also mentioning the defence player’s lips and eyes a lot but she decided not to comment on it.  _

_ “And she thinks she’s so cool with her shiny auburn hair, bright blue eyes and stupid braids,” Josie mutters, folding her arms across her chest. “She’s Satan in cute shorts.” _

_ “I beg to differ,” Lizzie hums, twirling her stick between her thumb and forefinger effortlessly, “that title is reserved for Penelope Park.”  _

_ Lizzie watches carefully as her twin turns her head and doesn’t even bother with following her gaze to know she’s staring at Hope. The two of them are 14 and have played a total of 10 matches against each other and all of them have included a staredown between the two teenage girls.  _

_ Lizzie doesn’t know if they’re going to kiss or kill each other sometimes. She doesn’t think she’ll ever forget the time they both played centre … they held eye contact for far too long to be comfortable to any outside party and wondered why no one else had their face scrunched up in disgust as she did.  _

_ She supposes she should try to encourage her little sister, push her towards her feelings instead of mulling it all over in silence. But she knows her sister well enough; she knows she won’t act on her feelings for Hope because either she hasn’t even realised what she’s feeling or (if she has) she simply won’t be selfish enough to act on them.  _

_ Lizzie also has a sneaking suspicion, even at 14 years old, that Hope Mikaelson is just as infatuated as her sister. She knows this from the way Hope can never take her eyes off of her and the majority of the time it’s not even in a competitive way.  _

_ A lot of the time there’s this softness in her eyes. There’s something she can’t quite identify but she’s seen that look before. _

_ It’s the same way that Josie looks at Hope.  _

After a quiet lunch filled with awkward small talk (which was mostly Stefan filling the silence with occasional anecdotes from what happened in the past week and frequent questions), Lizzie drags Josie over to the sofa and turns on Netflix. 

Stefan approaches but Lizzie holds up a hand.

“If I have to listen to another white suburban couple that looks straight out of a generic hallmark movie talk about having an open floor plan, I  _ will _ lose my mind.” She states plainly before choosing to continue watching Warrior Nun. She knows Josie’s already watched the show but her sister seems to find comfort in rewatching things she’s familiar with. 

2 episodes later and nearing the finale, MG arrived with two tubs of icecream, nail polish, chocolate milk, face masks and scented candles. Lizzie almost kisses him when she opens the door and he grins up at her like she hung the moon, shaking a wicker basket with the care package neatly tucked inside because ‘presentation matters’. However, the blonde chooses not to when she feels three pairs of eyes on her. 

Instead, she smiles and envelops him in a tight hug. After a quiet ‘thank you’ she kisses him on the cheek and promises they’ll have dinner together later. MG simply shrugs in a noncommittal way, claiming that it’s simply what boyfriends are for. 

Lizzie knows she’s very lucky. 

Two tubs of ice cream later the girls have transitioned from ‘Warrior Nun’ to ‘Kakegurui’. Whilst Lizzie doesn’t really like anime, her sister seems overly invested in it. Lizzie certainly doesn’t understand the whole gambling part of it but, whatever, it makes her sister stop sniffling into her blanket.

The show gets quickly turned off though when there’s a knock at the door. Thank god for that really because two children come rushing into the sitting room shortly after Caroline opens the door. (Lizzie’s glad they don’t have to watch Itsuki Sumeragi rip off her fingernails with her teeth). 

“Jo!” A bundle of raven hair throws herself into the tall brunette’s lap and a wide smile is etched across Josie’s face. Bright blue eyes smile up at the older girl and Josie hugs her tightly. 

“Hey, Steph!” Josie musters a big smile as the younger girl clings to her. 

“Someone has a favourite Saltzman.” Lizzie grumbles and Josie sticks her tongue out at her, clinging to Stephanie tightly akin to a child holding onto a stuffed toy their sibling is threatening to take away. Whatever her sister’s eyes are brighter now because of the weasel squirming in her lap right now. 

When Lizzie looks down she spots her favourite person. 

“Lizzie!” He grins up at her, outstretching his arms for a hug. Lizzie can’t help but smile - despite her thinking most children are brats (especially when she’s on a plane with 5 crying babies), she can’t help but view Pedro as the exception. 

She happily scoops him into her arms to give him a tight hug. 

It’s only later when Stephanie and Josie are watching some Studio Ghibli movie together (what is it with her twin and Japanese media) that Lizzie realises something. She and Pedro are in the kitchen making snacks for everyone when Pedro tugs on her shorts, crooking his finger to whisper something in her ear, and she realises he’s more observant than her father. 

“Why does Jo look sad?” He asks, furrowing his brow and gazing up at the older girl as if she holds the key to all the answers in the universe. At this moment, however, Lizzie feels just as clueless as Pedro regarding how she should answer his question. 

The blonde pursed her lips, Pedro has always been a smart kid so there’s no use in telling him something that’s an obvious lie, for example: losing a lacrosse game or a bad math test. Instead, she settles on something close to the truth.

“Josie’s friend got upset with her.” 

“Did she say sorry?”

“They’re both too dramatic for their own good,” Lizzie states, in lieu of an answer. 

“They’ve got a lot of problems.” Pedro nods in agreement.

Lizzie smirks; if Pedro were over the age of 11 she would ask him to be her right-hand man in pushing Hope and Josie back together and forcing them to talk about how they actually feel. 

It’s not that MG, Penelope, Maya, Kaleb and Jade aren’t helpful … it’s that all their ideas are shit if she’s being frank.

“Why don’t you talk to Josie’s friend?” Pedro asks, glancing over to the brunette in question whose eyes, whilst brighter than this morning, are still dulled by the heartbreak written all over her face. 

“Coaches don’t sub in for the injured players, Pedro.” 

//

The outcome of their first nationals party on the firsts team makes Lizzie want to jump with joy and scream out to the universe a huge ‘thank you’ that her sister finally got her head out of her ass. 

This moment of celebration was squashed like an ant when Josie explains that she and Hope decided to be ‘friends’. 

Friends that stared at each other longingly across the room. 

Friends who would lace up each other’s studs and leave lingering hands on the other’s leg and hold eye contact for far too long to be platonic.

Friends who were now sleeping with each other.

Oh! Even better! Friends who were now fake dating whilst still sleeping with each other. 

God, had those two bumbling useless gays made it their life mission to give Lizzie grey hairs at the age of 16? If so it seemed to be doing the trick - especially when every house within a 3-mile radius of theirs heard Lizzie shriek on a Sunday morning, thinking the stress (from a relationship she’s not even directly involved in, mind you) had actually given her grey hair.

(It was actually just the weirdly bright white lighting in their bathroom because Stefan forgot to change the bulbs). 

Nevertheless, Lizzie felt that she had managed to soak up enough joy from the lovesick smile on Josie’s face when the blonde (and MG) had finally managed to pull the two off of each other to get back to their hotel before they got into trouble. 

Past that? Everything came crashing down because these two idiots decided to become mute around each other. 

Watching them dance around each other like some weird gay mating ritual all summer had Lizzie’s hair falling out by the beginning of sixth form.

So, for the sake of her sanity (and her hair, which seemed to bear the brunt of Hope and Josie’s infuriating incompetence), Lizzie decided to form a task force to force Hope and Josie to love each other.

Not that they don’t love each other … just that they’re too blind to admit to it. 

She didn’t realise that her sister had apparently slept with Jade (way to ruin the plan, Josie) and lied to Hope and certainly did not anticipate the pile of worms they call Landon to develop a spine overnight.

Whatever, she can still work with this. 

She can.

She will.

Even if it kills her. 

Which, with the migraine that it's giving her, it probably will.

//

“Jo, faster!” Stephanie giggles as Josie pulls her down the hill. The brunette smiles as bright as the sun as she pulls the young girl behind her, trying her best to avoid the uneven bits of the road and feeling anxious about Stephanie’s choice to not wear her elbow pads.

“Jesus, that kid doesn’t fear anything.” Lizzie huffs, looking over at Pedro who is content to eat his sandwich on the picnic blanket for now. Both Lizzie and Josie know that as soon as the sandwich is finished that he’ll sprint after the two girls, insisting Lizzie come with him and ensure he doesn’t fall off of his scooter. 

The blonde looks up as Josie holds her hands out for Stephanie, guiding the girl as she penny boards down the hill.

“You’re a natural, Steph.” Josie grins as the young girl manages to skate around the corner safely on her own. 

“Alright, Tony Hawk, don’t forget you have a very lonely PB&J waiting for you!” Lizzie calls out as Stephanie lets out a squeal when Josie threatens to let go. 

“Coming!” The little voice replies, the girl’s pigtails bouncing as she runs towards Josie, yelling about how she’ll be able to do tricks soon. “Jo!” Stephanie whines. “Jo! Up!” 

Josie laughs, picking the girl up, throwing her over her shoulder and carrying her over to her sister and Pedro. 

“Isn’t she getting too old for that?” Lizzie wrinkles her nose at Josie as she carries the younger girl over. Stephanie sticks her tongue out at that, Lizzie mirroring her expression.

“Aren’t you getting too old for  _ that _ ?” Josie fires back, no venom in her voice though, and gestures towards the face Lizzie pulled. 

Lizzie rolls her eyes back, too lazy to volley back a retort and potentially ruin her sister’s mood. She seemed lighter now, especially compared to the beginning of the day. But the way her sister’s eyes would occasionally glance towards her phone screen did not get past her. 

Lizzie pursed her lips, knowing that Hope Mikaelson probably would not budge.

She might have her work cut out for her after all. 

  
Two weeks later she realises that she  _ definitely _ has her work cut out for her when Hope runs off the lacrosse field with bruised and bloody knuckles and someone lies on the side of the lacrosse pitch with a bloody lip and two nurses by their side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry, I took ages to update - I was so stressed that this completely slipped my mind! I'm hoping to finish this off in the next month or two so I'll try my best to be more consistent. 
> 
> Also, I'd just like to confirm that all of my works follow the laws in the UK rather than the US so: the legal drinking age is 18 and the age of consent is 16 because consent is so important for these girls and in general. (I honestly forget sometimes that the US have different legal ages and such).


End file.
